CO! 


X 


FROM   THE   LIBRARY   OF 


REV.    LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,  D.  D. 


BEQUEATHED    BY   HIM   TO 

THE    LIBRARY   OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 


£. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

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& 


£ 


THE 


OCT 


1932 


h 


a 


OPWH  of** 


«5 


/ 
SEVEN    GREAT    HYMNS 


IHetrtaebal  €f)urcl). 


Thou  haft  no  fhore,  fair  Ocean  '. 
Thou  haft  no  time,  bright  Day! 
Dear  Fountain   of  refreftiment 
To  pilgrims  far  away  ! 


SEVENTH  EDITION,   ENLARGED. 


NEW  YORK: 
ANSON  D.  F.  RANDOLPH  &  CO., 

gOO   BROADWAY,    COR.    20th    ST. 


Entered  according  to  Aft  of  Congrefs,  in  the  year  1S68, 

By  Anson  D.  F.  Eandolph  &  Co., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Diftridt  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

Southern  Diflrift  of  New  York. 


TO    THE    READER 


r  I  ^HIS  work  was  fuggefted  bv  the  intereft 
-*-  felt  in  Mr.  Prime's  little  book,  the  hymn, 
"  0  Mother  Dear  Jerufalemr  It  is  publifhed 
with  a  wifh  that  it  {hall  be  placed  befide  his, 
and  that,  finding  the  fame  welcome,  it  may  yield, 
or  perhaps  reyiye,  the  fame  pleafure  and  receiye 
the  fame  approval. 

To  faye  from  years  belonging  to  the  dark- 
ened paft  thoughts  of  real,  undeparted  worth — 
to  clothe  thefe  utterances  in  a  drefs  neither  too 
common  for  the  requirements  of  our  tafte,  nor 
too  good  for  our  daily  ufe  —  to  do  this  in  the 
hope    that    purer   eyes   will   often    reft    upon   its 


VI  To  the  Reader. 

pages,  and  a  holy  faith  find  refrefhment  in  its 
imagery — that  fome  one  better  than  its  author 
will  keep  it  always  near,  a  fecret,  fvmpathetic 
friend  for  lonely  hours,  or  gather,  in  forrow, 
from  its  fentences  the  confolation  which  they 
pofTefs — confefTes  the  object  for  which  it  has 
exifted,  and  to  which  it  is  devoted. 

Thefe  hopes,  which  were  expreffed  in  the  firft 
edition  of  this  work,  were  fulfilled  almoft  at  the 
inftant  of  its  publication.  And  the  aflurances 
that  its  real  objeel:  was  attained  were  more  grate- 
ful than  even  hope  had  promifed.  A  continuing 
demand  by  the  public  has  led  to  this  revifed  edi- 
tion, wherein  fome  trivial  errors  are  corrected, 
and  two  verfions  of  the  Dies  Ir&  are  added. 
The  feven  tranflations  now  given  will  render,  it 
is  believed,  the  Englifh  expofition  of  the  Great 
I  Ivmn  complete. 

Nf.w  York,    [unr,  J  866. 


CONTEXTS. 


PAGE 

The  Celestial  Country  .....        i 

Dies  Irm    .........  44 

Mater  Speciosa         , 11S 

Stabat  Mater      .  .  .  .  .         .  .  .96 

Veni  Sancte  Spiritus         ......        126 

Veni   Creator   Spiritus  .  .  .  .  .  .154 

Vexilla  Regis   . 140 

The  Alleluiatic  Sequence  ......   146 

Appendix  .         .         .  .         .         .         •         .         .154 


THE 

CELESTIAL    COUNTRY. 


BERNARD  DE  MORLAS,  monk  of  Clu- 
ni,  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  great 
Bernard  his  contemporary,  Abbot  of  Clairvaux, 
and  Saint  in  the  Romifh  calendar.  The  place 
of  his  nativity  is  uncertain,  and  the  years  of  his 
birth  and  of  his  death  are  alike  unknown.  He 
lived  during  the  nrft  half  of  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury ;  he  was  born,  according  to  one  authority, 
at  Morlaix,  in  Bretagne  ;  according  to  another, 
at  Morlas,  in  the  lower  Pyrenees  ;  *whilft  a  third 
gives  his  birth-place  to  England,  and  claries  him 
with  her  illuftrious  writers  (De  illuftribus  Anglice 
Scriptoribus).1  After  feven  centuries  of  com- 
parative forgetfulnefs,  the  genius  of  two  Englifh 
fcholars  has  revived  a  portion  of  his  works  ;  and 
hereafter  his  name  will  be  beft  known  in  that 
country,  which  may  poflibly  pofTefs  his  birth- 
place. 


2  The  Cclcjiial  Country. 

There  ftill  furvive  of  his  writings  five  poems, 
the  greater!:  of  which  is  De  Contemptu  Mundl. 
It  was  written  about  1145,  and  contains  three 
thoufand  lines,  divided  into  three  books.  In 
fubftance  the  poem  is  a  fatire,  unforgiving  and 
fevere  :  in  form  it  is  in  dactylic  hexameter  verfe, 
wherein  each  line  confifts  of  three  parts,  and 
two  of  thefe  parts  rhyme  with  each  other,  while 
the  lines  themfelves  are  in  couplets  of  double 
rhyme.  It  is  a  verfe  pedantically  called  "  leonine 
ct  and  tailed  rhyme,  with  lines  in  three  parts, 
"between  which  a  caefura  is  not  admiflible."2 

The  poem  commences  thus  : 

Hora  novis/7/wtf,  |j  tempora  yesjima  ||  funt,  xigWcmus. 
Ecce  m'mzciter  ||  imminet  arbiter  II  ille  fupremus. 
Imminet,  imminet  ||  et  mala  term/;;r/,  ]|  a*qua  en- 
Refta  remunerety  ||  anxia  libera/',  ||  aethera  donett 
Auferat  zfpera  [|  duraque  pondera  ||  mentes  onu/ia1 
Sobria  munwf,  ||  improba  pun/'af,  |j  utraque  jujie. 

Hours  of  the  late  ft  !  times  of  the  bill-it  !  our  vigil  before  us! 
Judgment  eternal  of  Being  fupemal  now  hanging  o'er  u.;  ! 
Evil  to  terminate,  equity  vindicate,  cometh  the  Kinglj  j 
Righteoufnefs  feeing,  anxiou  i  hearts  fin  1  ing,  c  rov  ning  c  ich  fingly, 
Bearing  life's  wearinefs,  tailing  life's  bitternefs,  Lift  as  it  muft  be 
Th'  righteous  retaining,  finners  arraigning,  judging  all  juilly. 


^he  Celefiial  Country.  3 

This  verfe,  fo  difficult  that  the  Englifh  lan- 
guage is  incapable  of  expreffing  it,  is  continued 
through  the  three  thoufand  lines  of  the  poem. 
In  his  preface  the  monk  avows  the  belief  that 
nothing  but  the  fpecial  infpiration  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  enabled  him  to  employ  it  through  fo 
long  a  poem.  After  recounting  its  difficulties, 
and  alluding  to  the  faint  attempts  of  the  two 
great  verfifiers  of  his  day,  Hildebert  de  Lavar- 
din  and  Wichard  of  Lyons,  he  exclaims  :  "  I 
"  may  then  aflert,  not  in  oftentation,  but  with 
"  humble  confidence,  that  if  I  had  not  received 
"  directly  from  on  high  the  gift  of  infpiration 
"and  intelligence,  I  had  not  dared  to  attempt 
"  an  enterprife  fo  little  accorded  to  the  powers 
tc  of  the    human   mind." 


"  This  work,"  fays  the  author  of  the  Hijioire  Litteraire  de  la 
France^  "was  drawn  from  the  duft  in  1483,  and  its  publication 
"  was  achieved  on  the  tenth  of  December  of  the  fame  year,  at 
"  Paris,  in  magni  domo  campi  Gaillardi.  The  Proteftants,  eager 
"  to  gather  every  thing  which  appears  unfavorable  to  the  Church 
"  of  Rome,  have  fince  multiplied  the  editions.  Some  Catholics 
"  have  alio  given  to  it  fome  praifes  ;  and  furely  it  merits  them, 
"  at  leaft  by  the  fentiments  of  piety  which  it  exhales,  and  by  the 
"zeal  with  which  the  author  attack*  the  abufes  of  his  time." 


4-  The  Celeftial  Country. 

"  In  holy  Rome  the  only  power  is  gold ; 
There  all  is  bought — there  every  thing  is  fold. 
Becaufe  flie  is  the  very  way  to  right, 
There  truth  is  periihed  by  unholy  Height. 
Even  as  the  wheel  turns,  Rome  to  evil  turns, 
Rome,  that  fpreads  fragrance  as  when  incenfe  burns. 
Rome  wrongs  mankind,  and  teaches  men  the  road 
To  flee  far  off  from  Righteoufnefs'  abode  ! 
To  feek  for  ruinous  and  difgraceful  gain, 
The  pallium's  felf  with  fimony  to  ftain. 
If  aught  you  wiih,  be  fure  a  goodly  bribe 
Will  hafte  the  fealing  of  the  lingering  fcribe. 
Rife  !   follow  !  let  your  penny  go  before, 
Seek  boldly  then  the  threlhold  ;    fear  no  more 
That  any  ftumbling-blocks  will  bar  the  way, 
The  Pope's  own  favor  you  can  get  for  pay — 
Without  that  help,  'tis  beft  to  keep  away." 

The  opening  of  this  monkifh  fatire  on  the 
corruptions  of  its  barbarous  age,  glows  with  a 
defcription  of  the  Heavenly  Land  more  beauti- 
ful than  ever  before  was  wrought  in  verfe. 
This  a  great  fcholar  of  our  time  has  taken  from 
the  poem  and  brought  within  the  reach  and 
notice  of  the  world  [Trench).  It  alio  has  been 
re-woven  into  fimple  Engliih  verfe,  and  has  re- 
ceived the  appropriate  name  of  The  Celesti  \i. 

(  JOUNTRY. 


The   Celefiial  Country.  5 

The  tranflator  of  The  Celestial  Country 
is  Dr.  John  Mafon  Neale,  Warden  of  Sack- 
ville  College,  SufTex,  England,  the  moft  fuccefT- 
ful  tranflator  of  mediaeval  hymns,  and  one  of 
the  moft  varied  and  voluminous  writers  of  the 
time.  "Lays  and  Legends  of  the  Church  of 
England  ;"  "  A  Church  Hiftory  for  Children  ;" 
feven  volumes  of  romances ;  a  hiftory  of  Greece  ; 
a  hiftorv  of  Portugal ;  of  the  Patriarchate  of 
Alexandria,  and  of  the  Janfenift  Church  of 
Holland  ;  a  large  number  of  tales  and  hymns 
for  children,  and  a  moft  learned  and  elaborate 
commentary  on  the  Book  of  Pfalms,  are  included 
in  the  long  catalogue  of  his  works. 

This  fcholar  of  Cambridge,  and  this  monk  of 
Cluni,  have  given  to  the  religious  world  the 
fweeteft  and  deareft  religious  poem  that  our  lan- 
guage contains.  Dr.  Neale  favs  that  he  looks 
upon  the  lines  of  Bernard  "  as  the  moft  lovely, 
"  in  the  fame  way  that  the  Dies  free  is  the  moft 
"  fublime,  and  the  Stabat  Mater  the  moft  pathetic 
u  of  mediaeval  poems,"  but  his  own  poem  may 
claim  more  juftlv  that  word.  The  Celestial 
Country   is  better  than   De  Cmtemptu  Mundi. 


6  The  Celefiial  Country. 

The  beautiful  fimplicity  of  its  artlefs,  childlike 
lines  portrays  more  naturally  the  fervid  imagery 
of  the  monk.  After  (even  hundred  years  of 
darknefs,  the  holy  fervor  of  Bernard  re-kindles 
in  it  as  warmly  as  when  in  the  warmth  of  his 
devotion  he  believed  himfelf  fpecially  infpired 
by  the  Moil  High.  In  another  language,  at 
another  time,  and  among  thofe  who  can  but 
dimly  trace  his  name  in  the  crumbling  recorc' 
of  his  works,  the  Rhyme  of  the  poor  monk  re- 
lives to  gladden  the  hearts  of  other  Chriftians, 
loved  by  fuch  as  poffefs  its  faith,  and  treafured 
by  the  gentleft  and  the  beft  of  earth.5 


The   Celeftial  Country. 


THE 
CELESTIAL     COUNTRY 

DR.     NEALE. 


THE   world  is  very  evil, 
The   times   are   waxing  late  ; 
Be  fober  and   keep  vigil, 

The  Judge   is  at  the  gate — 
The  Judge   that   comes  in  mercy, 

The   Judge  that   comes  with  might, 
To  terminate   the  evil, 

To   diadem   the  right. 
When  the    juft  and  gentle   Monarch 

Shall   fummon   from   the  tomb, 
Let   man,   the   guiltv,   tremble, 

For   Man,   the   God,   fhall   doom  ! 


cS  The  CcL'jlml  Country 


A  rile,  arife,  good  Chriftian, 

Let    right   to   wrong   fucceed  ; 
Let  penitential  forrow 

To  heavenly  gladnefs  lead — 
To  the  light  that  hath   no  evening, 

That    knows   nor   moon   nor  fun, 
The   light   Co   new   and   gulden, 

The   light   that   is  but   one. 


And  when  the  Sole-Begotten 
Shall    render   up  once    more 
'['Ik-  kingdom  to  the   Father, 

Whole    own    it    was    before, 

Then  glorj    vet   unheard  of 

Shall    Ihed    abroad    its    ray, 

Relolving  all  enigmas, 
An  endlefs  Sabbath-day. 


Then,  then  from  his  opprefTors 
The   I  lebrev*    Hull  go  free, 


tfhe  Celeftial  Country. 

And  celebrate  in  triumph 

The  year  of  Jubilee  ; 
And  the  funlit  Land  that  recks  not 

Of  tempeft  nor  of  fight, 
Shall  fold   within  its  bofom 

Each  happy   Ifraelite — 
The   Home  of  fadelefs  fplendor, 

Of  flowers  that   fear  no  thorn, 
Where  they   fhall  dwell  as   children, 

Who   here  as  exiles  mourn. 


Midft  power  that  knows  no  limit, 

And  wifdom   free   from   bound, 
The   Beatific   Vifion 

Shall  glad  the   Saints  around — 
The  peace  of  all  the  faithful, 

The  calm   of  all  the  bleft, 
Inviolate,  unvaried, 

Divineft,  fweeteft,  belt. 
Yes,  peace  !    for  war  is  needlefs — 

Yes,   calm  !    for  ftorm   is   pall: — 
And  goal   from   finifhed  labor, 

And  anchorage  at  laft. 


io  The  CdcjlLil  Country. 


That  peace — but  who   may   claim  it  ? 

The  guilelefs  in  their  way, 
Who   keep  the  ranks   of  battle, 

Who  mean  the  thing  thev   fay — 
The   peace  that  is  for  heaven, 

And   fhall  be   for   the   earth  ; 
The  palace  that   re-echoes 

With   feftal  fong  and   mirth  ; 
The  garden,  breathing  fpices, 

The   paradife   on   high  ; 
Grace  beautified  to  glory, 

Unceafing  minftrelfy. 

7- 

There   nothing  can  be   feeble, 

There   none  can   ever   mourn, 
There   nothing  is   divided, 

There   nothing  can   be   torn. 
'Tis  fury,  ill,  and  fcandal, 

'Tis  peacelefs  peace  below  ; 
Peace,  endlefs,  ftrifelefs,  agelefs, 

The   halls   of   Syon   know. 


The  Celefiial  Country.  l  l 

8. 

O   happy,   holy  portion, 

Refection  for  the  bleft, 
True   vifion  of  true  beauty, 

Sweet   cure  of  all  diftreft  ! 
Strive,   man,   to  win  that  glory  ; 

Toil,   man,  to  gain  that  light  ; 
Send  hope  before  to  grafp  it, 

Till  hope  be  loft  in  fight  ; 
Till  Jesus   gives  the  portion 

Thofe  bleffed  fouls  to  fill — 
The  infatiate,  yet  fatisfied, 

The  full,  yet  craving  ftill. 


That  fulnefs  and  that  craving 

Alike  are  free  from  pain, 
Where  thou,   midft   heavenly   citizens, 

A  home  like  theirs  fhalt  gain. 
Here  is  the  warlike  trumpet  ; 

There,   life  fet   free  from  fin, 
When  to  the  laft  Great   Supper 

The  faithful   fhall   come  in  ; 


l  2  T'he  Celejiial  Country. 

When  the  heavenly  net  is  laden 

With   fifhes  many  and  great 
(So  glorious  in  its  fulnefs, 

Yet  fo  inviolate)  ; 
And  perfect   from  unperfected, 

And   fall'n   from  thofe  that   ftand,4 
And  the  fheep-flock  from  the  goat-herd 

Shall  part  on  either  hand. 

10. 

And  thefe  (hall  pafs  to  torment, 

And  thofe  mail  triumph   then — 
The  new  peculiar   nation, 

Bleft   number  of  bleft  men. 
Jerufalem   demands  them  ; 

They   paid   the   price  on   earth, 
And   now   mail   reap  the   harveft 

In   blifsfulnefs  and   mirth 
The  glorious  holy   people, 

Who  evermore   relied 
Upon  their  Chief  and   Father, 

The   King,   the   Crucified — 
The  facjed   ranfomed  number 

Now   bright   with   endlefs   (hecn, 


The  Celejiial  Country.  13 

Who   made  the   Crofs  their  watchword 

Of  Jesus   Nazarene, 
Who  (fed  with  heavenly  nectar 

Where  foul-like   odors  play) 
Draw  out  the  endlefs   leifure 

Of  that  long  vernal  day. 

II. 

And,  through   the  facred   lilies 

And   flowers  on   every   fide, 
The   happy   dear-bought    people 

Go   wandering  far  and   wide  ; 
Their  breafts  are   filled   with  gladnefs, 

Their  mouths  are  tun'd  to  praife, 
What  time,   now  fafe   for   ever, 

On  former  fins  they  gaze  : 
The  fouler  was  the   error, 

The  fadder  was  the   fall, 
The  ampler  are  the  praifes 

Of    Him   who   pardoned  all. 

12. 

Their  one  and  only  anthem, 
The  fulnefs  of  His    love, 


]  \  ^he  Celejiial  Country. 

Who  gives  inftead  of  torment, 

Eternal  joys  above — 
Inftead  of  torment,  glory  ; 

Inftead  of  death,  that  life 
Wherewith  your  happy  Country, 

True  Ifraelites,  is  rife. 

Brief  life  is  here  our  portion, 
Brief  forrow,  fhort-liv'd  care  ; 

The  life  that  knows  no  ending — 
The  tearlefs  life,  is  there. 

14. 

O   happy   retribution  ! 

Short  toil,  eternal  reft  ; 
For  mortals  and   for  Tinners 

A  manfion  with  the  Meft  ! 
That   we  fhould   look,   poor  wand'rers, 

To  have  our  home  on  high  ! 
That   worms   fhould   leek   for  dwelling, 

Beyond  the  ftarry  Iky  ! 
To  all  one  happy  guerdon 

Of  one  celeftial   guice  ; 


The  Celeftial  Country.  i_J 

For  all,  for  all,  who  mourn  their  fall, 
Is  one  eternal  place. 

15- 

And  martyrdom  hath  rofes 

Upon  that  heavenly  ground  ; 
And  white  and  virgin  lilies 

For  virgin-fouls  abound. 
There  grief  is  turned  to  pleafure — 

Such   pleafure  as  below 
No  human  voice  can  utter, 

No  human  heart  can  know  ; 
And  after  flefhly  fcandal, 

And  after  this  world's  night, 
And  after  ftorm  and  whirlwind, 

Is  calm,  and  joy,  and  light. 

16. 

And  now  we  fight  the  battle, 
But  then  mall  wear  the  crown 

Of  full  and  everlafting 
And   paflionlefs  renown  : 

And  now  we   watch   and   ftruggle, 


16  The  Celeftial  Country. 

And  now  we  live  in  hope, 
And   Syon,   in  her  anguifh, 

With   Babylon   mull   cope  ; 
But   He   whom  now  we  truft  in 

Shall  then  be  feen  and  known, 
And  they  that  know  and  fee  Him 

Shall  have  Him  for  their  own. 


The  miferable  pleafures 

Of  the  body   mall  decay  ; 
The  bland  and   flattering  ftruggles 

Of  the   flem   fhall    pafs  away  ; 
And   none  mall   there  be  jealous, 

And   none  fhall  there   contend  ; 
Fraud,   clamor,  guile — what  fay   I  ? 

All  ill,  all  ill  mail  end  ! 


18. 


And   there  is   David's   Fountain, 
And   life  in  fulled  glow  ; 

And   there   the   light   is  golden, 
And    milk   and    honey    flow — 


The  Celeftial  Country.  17 

The  light  that   hath   no   evening, 
The  health  that  hath   no  fore, 

The  life  that  hath  no   ending, 
But  lafteth  evermore. 

19. 

There  Jesus  mail  embrace  us, 

There  Jesus  be  embraced — 
That  fpirit's   food  and  funfhine 

Whence  earthly  love   is   chafed. 
Amidft  the  happy   chorus, 

A   place,   however  low, 
Shall  fhew   Him   us,   and   mewing, 

Shall  fatiate  evermo. 

20. 

By  hope  we  ftruggle  onward  : 

While  here  we  muft   be   fed 
By  milk,  as  tender  infants, 

But  there  by  Living   Bread. 
The   night   was   full  of  terror, 

The   morn  is  bright   with   gladnefs  ; 
The   Crofs  becomes  our  harbor, 

And  we  triumph  after  fadnefs. 


18  'The  Celeftial  Country. 

21. 

And  Jesus  to  His  true  ones 

Brings  trophies  fair  to  fee  ; 
And  Jesus   fhall  be  loved,  and 

Beheld  in  Galilee — 
Beheld,  when  morn   fhall   waken, 

And   fhadows  fha\l  decay, 
And   each  true-hearted   fervant 

Shall   mine  as   doth  the   day  ; 
And   every  ear  fhall   hear   it — 

u  Behold  thy   King's  array , 
Behold  thy   God   in   beauty, 

The   Law   hath  pafs'd  away  ! " 

22. 

Yes  !    God   my   King  and   Portion, 

In   fulnefs  of  Thy  grace, 
We  then  fhall  fee  for  ever, 

And   worfhip   face   to   face. 
Then  Jacob  into   [frael, 

From  earthlier  felf  eftranged, 
And   Leah  into   Rachel 

For  ever  fhall  be  changed;5 


^he  Celeftial  Country.  lg 

Then  all  the  halls  of  Syon 

For  aye  fhall  be  complete, 
And  in  the  Land  of  Beauty, 

All  things  of  beauty  meet. 

23- 

For  thee,  O  dear,  dear  Country  ! 

Mine  eyes  their  vigils  keep  ; 
For  very  love,  beholding 

Thy  happy  name,   they  weep. 
The   mention  of  thy  glory 

Is  unction  to  the  breaft, 
And   medicine  in  ficknefs, 

And  love,  and  life,  and  reft. 

24. 

O   one,   O   onely   Manfion  ! 

O  Paradife  of  Joy  ! 
Where  tears  are  ever  banifhed, 

And  fmiles  have  no  alloy, 
Befide  thy   living  waters 

All   plants   are,   great   and   fmall, 
The   cedar  of  the  foreft, 


20  The  Celefiial   Country. 

The   hyflbp   of  the   wall  ; 
With  jafpers  glow   thy   bulwarks, 
<•  Thy   ftreets   with   emeralds   blaze, 

The   fardius   and   the   topaz 

Unite   in   thee   their  rays  ; 
Thine  agelefs   walls  are  bonded 

With  amethyft  unpriced  ; 
Thy   Saints   build   up   its   fabric, 

And  the   corner-ftone  is   Christ.6 


25- 

The   Crofs  is  all   thy  fplendor, 

The   Crucified   thy   praife  ; 
His   laud   and   benediction 

Thy   ranfomed    people   raife  : 
lc  Jesus,   the   Gem  of  Beauty, 

True   God   and   Alan"    they   Ting, 
"  The   never-falling    Garden, 

The  ever-golden  Ring  ; 
The   Door,   the    Pledge,    the    Hujband, 

The    Guardian   of  his    Court  f 
The   Day-Jlar   of  Salvation, 

The   Porter  and  the    Port  /" 


The  Celeftial  Country.  2} 

26. 

Thou   hast  no  shore,   fair  ocean:  ! 

Thou  hast  no  time,  bright  day  ! 
Dear   fountain  of   refreshment 

To   pilgrims  far   away  ! 
Upon   the   Rock  of   Ages 

They   raise   thy   holy   tower  ; 
Thine   is   the   victor's   laurel, 

And  thine  the  golden  dower  ' 

27. 

Thou   feel'ft   in   myftic   rapture, 

O    Bride   that   know'ft   no  guile, 
The   Prince's  fweeteft   kifles, 

The   Prince's   lovelieft.   fmile  ; 
Unfading   lilies,   bracelets 

Of  living   pearl   thine   own  ; 
The   Lamb   is   ever  near   thee, 

The    Bridegroom   thine   alone. 
The   Crown  is   He  to  guerdon, 

The   Buckler  to   protect, 
And   He   Himfelf  the   Alanfion, 

And   He  the   Architect. 


22  The  Celcftial  Country. 

28. 

The  only  art  thou   needeft — 

Thankfgiving   for    thy   lot  ; 
The   only   joy   thou   feekeft — 

The  Life   where   Death   is  not. 
And  all   thine   endlefs   leifure, 

In  fweeteft  accents,  fings 
The  ill  that   was  thy  merit, 

The   wealth   that   is   thy   King's  ! 

29. 

Jerusalem  the  golden, 

With  milk  and  honey  blest, 
Beneath  thy  contemplation 

Sink  heart  and  voice  oppressed. 
i  know  not,  o   i   know  not, 

What  social  joys  are  there  ! 
What  radiancy  of  glory, 

What  light  beyond  compare  ! 

3°- 

And   when    I    fain   would  fing  them, 
My  fpirit   fails  and   faints  ; 


"The  CeleJHal  Country.  23 

And  vainly  would  it  image 
The  aflembly   of  the   Saints. 


31- 

They  stand,  those  halls  of  Syon, 

conjubilant  with  song, 
And  bright  with  many  an  angel, 

And  all  the  martyr  throng  ; 
The   Prince   is   ever  in  them, 

The   daylight  is  serene  ; 
The   pastures  of  the   Blessed 

Are  decked  in  glorious  sheen. 


32- 

There  is  the  Throne  of  David, 

And  there,  from  care  releaser 
The  song  of  them  that  triumph, 

The   shout  of   them  that  feast  ; 
And  they  who,  with  their  Leader, 

Have  conquered  in  the  fight, 
For  ever  and  for  ever 

Are  clad  in  robes  of  white  !  1 


24  ^he  Celefiial  Country. 

33- 

O  holy,   placid   harp-notes 

Of  that   eternal  hymn  ! 
O   facred,   fweet   refection, 

And   peace  of  Seraphim  ! 
O  thirft,   for  ever  ardent, 

Yet   evermore   content! 
O   true  peculiar  vifion 

Of  God   omnipotent  ! 
Ye  know  the   many   manfions 

For  many   a  glorious  name, 
And   divers  retributions 

That  divers  merits  claim  ; 
For   midft  the   conftellations 

That   deck  our  earthly   fky, 
This  ftar  than   that   is  brighter- 

And   fo  it   is  on   high. 

34- 

Jerufalem  the  glorious  ! 

The   glory   of  the    Ele&  ! 
O    deal    and    future    vifion 

That    eager    hearts    expect  ! 


The  Celefiial  Country.  25 

Even  now  by   faith   I  fee  thee, 
Even  here  thy  walls  difcern  ; 

To  thee  my  thoughts  are  kindled, 
And  ftrive,  and  pant,  and  yearn. 

35- 

Jerufalem  the  onely, 

That   look'ft   from   heaven  below, 
In  thee  is  all  my  glory, 

In   me   is   all  my   woe  ; 
And   though   my   body   may   not, 

My  fpirit   feeks   thee   fain, 
Till   flefh  and  earth   return  me 

To  earth  and   flefh  again. 

36. 

O   none   can  tell  thy   bulwarks, 

How  glorioufly   they   rife  ! 
O   none   can   tell  thy   capitals 

Of  beautiful   device  ! 
Thy   lovelinefs  opprefles 

All  human  thought  and  heart  ; 
And   none,   O   peace,   O   Syon, 

Can   fing  thee  as  thou  art  ! 


26  The  Cclcjlial  Country. 

37- 

New   manfion  of  new  people, 

Whom   God's   own   love  and  light 
Promote,  increafe,   make  holy, 

Identify,  unite  ! 
Thou  City  of  the  Angels  ! 

Thou   City  of  the  Lord  ! 
Whofe  everlafting  mufic 

Is  the  glorious  decachord  !8 

And  there  the  band  of  Prophets 

United   praife  afcribes, 
And  there  the  twelvefold  chorus 

Of  Ifrael's  ranfomed  tribes, 
The   lily-beds  of  virgins, 

The   rofes'   martyr-glow, 
The  cohort  of  the   Fathers 

Who  kept  the  Faith   below. 

39- 
And   there   the   Sole-Begotten 
Is  Lord   in   regal    ihite — 


The  Celejiial  Country.  27 

He,  Judah's  myftic   Lion, 

He,   Lamb   Immaculate. 
O  fields  that  know  no  forrow  ! 

O   ftate  that  fears  no  ftrife  ! 
O  princely  bowers  !    O  land  of  flowers  ! 

O  realm  and  home  of  Life  ! 


40. 

Jerufalem,   exulting 

On  that  fecureft  more, 
I   hope  thee,   wifh  thee,   fing  thee, 

And  love  thee  evermore  ! 
I  afk  not   for  my   merit, 

I  feek  not  to  deny 
My  merit  is  deftruc~r.ion, 

A   child  of  wrath  am  I  ; 
But  yet  with  Faith   I  venture 

And   Hope  upon   my  way  j 
For  thofe  perennial  guerdons 

I   labor  night  and  day. 

41. 

The  beft  and  deareft  Father, 
Who   made  me  and  who  faved, 


28  ^he  Celeflial  Country. 

Bore  with   me  in  defilement, 

And    from   defilement  laved, 
When  in  His  ftrength  I  ftruggle, 

For  very  joy   I   leap, 
When  in  my  fin  I  totter, 

I   weep,   or  try  to  weep  : 
But  grace,  fweet  grace  celeftial, 

Shall   all   its   love   difplay, 
And   David's   Royal  fountain 

Purge  every  fin  away. 

42. 

O   mine,   my   golden   Syon  ! 

O   lovelier  far  than  gold, 
With   laurel-girt   battalions, 

And   fafe   victorious   fold  ! 

0  fweet   and   blefled   Country, 
Shall    I   ever    fee   thy    face  ? 

C)   fweet   and   blefled    Country, 
Shall   I  ever  win  thy  grace  ? 

1  have  the  hope  within  me 

To  comfort  and  to  blefs  ! 
Shall   I   ever  win   tlu-  prize  itfelf  ? 
()  tell  me,  tell  me,  Yes  ! 


The   Celeftial  Country.  29 

43- 

Exult,    O  duji  and  ajhes  ! 

The  Lord  Jhall  be  thy  part  ,• 
His  only,    His  for  ever, 

Thou  Jhalt  be,  and  thou  art  ! 
Exult,    O  duji  and  ajhes  ! 

The  Lord  Jhall  be  thy  part  ,• 
His  only,    His  for  ever, 

Thou  Jhalt  be,   and  thou  art  !  9 


30  The  Celejlidl  Country. 


HORA     NOVISSIMA. 

BERNARD    OF    CLUNI. 

HORA  noviflima,  tempora  peffima  funt,vigi- 
lemus. 
Ecce  minaciter  imminet  arbiter  ille  mpremus. 
Imminet,  imminet  et  mala  terminet,  aequa  coro- 
net, 
Recla  remuneret,  anxia  Iiberet,  aethera  donet, 
Auferat  afpera  dnra(jue  pondera  mentes  onuftae, 
Sobria  muniat,  improba  puniat,  utraque  jufte. 


Hie  breve  vivitur,  hie  breve  plangitur,  hie  breve 

fletur  ; 
Non   breve    vivere,   non   breve   plangere   retri- 

buetur  ; 
O  retributio  !   ftat  brevis  actio,  vita  perennis  •, 
()  retributio!  coelica  manflo  ftat  lue  plenis ;. 
Quid  datur  et  quibus?  aether  egentibus  et  cruce 

dignis, 
Sidera  vermibus,  optima  fontibus,  aftra  malignis. 


^The  Celefiial  Country.  31 

Sunt   modo   praelia,   poftmodo   praemia  ;    qualia  ? 

plena, 
Plena  refectio,  nullaque  paflio,  nullaque  poena  : 
Spe  modo  vivitur,  et  Syon  angitur  a  Babylone  ; 
Nunc  tribulatio  ;  tunc  recreatio,  fceptra,  coronae ; 
Tunc  nova  gloria  peclora  fobria  clarificabit, 
Solvet  enigmata,  veraque  fabbata  continuabit. 
Liber  et  hoftibus,  et  dominantibus  ibit  Hebraeus; 
Liber  habebitur  et  celebrabitur  hinc  jubilasus. 
Patria  luminis,  infcia  turbinis,  infcia  litis, 
Cive  replebitur,  amplirlcabitur  Ifraelitis  ; 
Patria  fplendida,  terraque  florida,  libera  fpinis, 
Danda  fidelibus  eft  ibi  civibus,  bic  peregrinis. 
Tunc  erit  omnibus  infpicientibus  ora  Tonantis 
Summa  potentia,  plena  fcientia,  pax  pia  fan&is  \ 
Pax  fine  crimine,  pax  fine  turbine,  pax  fine  rixa, 
A4eta  laboribus,  atque  tumultibus  anchora  fixa. 
Pars  mea  Rex  meus,  in  proprio  Deus  ipfe  decore 
Vifus  amabitur,  atque  videbitur  Auctor  in  ore. 
Tunc  Jacob  Ifrael,  et  Lia  tunc  Rachel  efficietur, 
Tunc  Syon  atria  pulcraque  patria  perficietur. 

O  bona  Patria,  lumina  fobria  te  fpeculantur, 
Ad  tua  nomina  lumina  fobria  collacrymantur  ; 


32  l?be  Celeftial  Country. 

Eft  tua  mentio  pectoris  un&io,  cura  doloris, 
Concipientibus  aethera  mentibus  ignis  amoris. 
Tu  locus  unicus,  illeque  codicus  es  paradifus, 
Non  ibi  lacryma,  fed  placidifTima  gaudia,  rifus. 
Eft  ibi  confita  laurus,  et  infita  cedrus  hvfopo  ; 
Sunt  radiantia  jafpide  maenia,  clara  pyropo  : 
Hinc  tibi  fardius,  inde  topazius,  hinc  amethvftus  ; 
Eft     tua     fabrica     concio     coelica,     gemmaque 

Chriftus. 
Tu    fine    littore,   tu    fine    tempore,   fons    modo 

rivus, 
Dulce  bonis  fapis,  eftque  tibi  lapis  undique  vivus. 
Eft  tibi  laurea,  dos  datur  aurea,  fponfa  decora, 
Primaque  Principis  ofcula  fufcipis,  infpicis  ora  : 
Candida  lilia,  viva  monilia  funt  tibi,  Sponfa, 
Agnus  adeft  tibi,  Sponfus  adeft  tibi,  lux  fpecioia  : 
Tota  negocia,  cantica  dulcia  dulce  tonare, 
Tam    mala   debita,   quam    bona    praebita    conju- 

bilare. 
Urbs  Syon  aurea,  patrea  laclea,  cive  decora, 
Omne  cor  obruis,  omnibus  obftruis  et  cor  et  ora,. 
Nefcio,  nefcio,  qua?  jubilatio,  lux  tibi  qualis, 
Quam  focialia  gaudia,  gloria  quam  fpecialis  : 
Laude  lindens  ea  tollere,  mens  mea  vi6ta  fatifcit : 


The  Celeflial  Country.  33 

O  bona  gloria,  vincor  ;    in  omnia  laus  tua  vicit. 
Sunt  Syon  atria  conjubilantia,  martyre  plena, 
Cive  micantia,  Principe  ftantia,  luce  ferena  : 
Eft  ibi  pafcua,  mitibus  afflua,  praeftita  fanctis, 
Regis  ibi  thronus,  agminis  et  fonus  eft  epulantis. 
Gens    duce    fplendida,   concio   Candida    veftibus 

albis 
Sunt  fine  fletibus  in  Svon  aedibus,  aedibus  almis  ; 
Sunt   fine   crimine,   funt   fine   turbine,   funt   fine 

lite 
In  Syon  aedibus  editioribus  Ifraelitae. 
Urbs  Syon  inclyta,  gloria  debita  glorificandis, 
Tu  bona  vifibus  interioribus  intima  pandis  : 
Intima  lumina,  mentis  acumina  te  fpeculantur, 
Peclora   flammea  fpe  modo,  poftea  forte  lucran- 

tur. 
Urbs  Syon  unica,  manfio  myftica,  condita  coelo, 
Nunc    tibi    gaudeo,    nunc    mihi    lugeo,    triftor, 

anhelo  : 
Te  quia  corpore  non  queo,  pe&ore  faepe  penetro, 
Sed    caro    terrea,    terraque    carnea,    mox    cado 

retro 
Nemo  retexere,  nemoque  promere  fuftinet  ore, 
Quo  tua  mcenia,  quo  capitalia  plena  decore  ; 


34  ^e   Celcjiial  Country. 

Opprimit  omne  cor  ille  tuus  decor,  O  Syon,  O 

pax, 
Urbs   fine   tempore,   nulla   poteft    fore   laus   tibi 

mendax  ; 
O  fine  luxibus,  O  fine  luctibus,  O  fine  lite 
Splendida  curia,  florida  patria,  patria  vita?  ! 
Urbs  Syon  inclyta,  turris  et  edita  littore  tuto, 
Te  peto,  te  colo,  te  flagro,  te  volo,  canto,  fa- 

luto  ; 
Nee    meritis    peto,    nam    mentis    meto    morte 

perire, 
Nee  reticens  tego,  quod  meritis  ego  filius  irae  ; 
Vita  quidem  mea,  vita  nimis  rea,  mortua  vita, 
Quippe  rcatibus  exitialibus  obruta,  trita. 
Spe  tamen  ambulo,  praemia  poftulo  fpeque  fide- 

que, 
Ilia  perennia  poftulo  praemia  noctc  dieque. 
Me  Pater  optimus  atque  piiffimus  ilk-  creavit  \ 
In  lue  pertulit,  ex  lue  fuftulit,  a  lue  lavit. 
Gratia  coelica  fuftinet  unica  totius  orbis, 
Parcere  fordibus,  interioribus  unctio  morbis  ; 
Diluit  omina  coelica  gratia,  fons  David  undans 
Omnia  diluit,  omnibus  affluit,  omnia  mundans  ; 
C)  pia  gratia,  ccll'a  palatia  cernere  praefta, 


TZv   Celeftial  Country.  35 

Ut  videam  bona,  feftaque  confona,  coelica  fefta. 
O  mea,  fpes  mea,  tu  Syon  aurea,  clarior  auro, 
Agmine    fplendida,   ftans    duce,    florida   perpete 

lauro, 
O  bona  patria,  num  tua  gaudia  teque  videbo  ? 
O  bona  patria,  num  tua  praemia  plena  tenebo  ? 
Die    mihi,    flagito,    verbaque    reddito,    dicque, 

videbis. 
Spem    folidam   gero  \    remne   tenens    ero  ?    die, 

Retinebis 
O  facer,  O  pius,  O  ter  et  amplius  ille  beatus, 
Cui  fua  pars  Deus,  O  mifer,  O  reus  hac  vidu- 

atus. I0 


36  The  Celefiial  Country. 


NOTES 


1  "  Le  furnom  de  Bernard  varie  en  trois  manieres  dans  les 
manufcrits.  Les  uns  l'expriment  par  Morlanenfis  qui  Pitreus 
rapporte  a  une  ville  d'Angleterre  fans  la  defigner  ;  les  autres 
portent  Morvalenfis,  que  Fabricius  explique  de  la  vallee  de  Mau- 
rienne  ;  il  en  eft  enfin  ou  Ton  trouve  Morlacenfis,  qu'on  peut 
appliquer  ou  a  Morlaix  en  BafTe-Bretagne,  ou  a  la  Morlas  dans 
le  comte  de  Bigorre.  Mais  il  eft  certain,  f,  que  la  feconde  de- 
nomination eft  la  plus  rare;  2%  que  les  anciennes  chartes  em- 
ploient  indifferemment  les  deux  autres  pour  marquer  un  citoyen 
de  la  derniere  ville,  ce  qui  nous  fait  pencher  a  la  regarder  comme 
l.i  vraie  patrie  de  Bernard." — Hijioire  Litter  aire  de  la  France. 

Dr.  Neale  fays  that  Bernard  was  "  born  at  Morlaix  in  Bretagne, 
but  of  Englifti  parents."  Trench  calls  him  "the  contemporary 
and  fellow-countryman  of  his  more  illuftrious  namefake  of 
Clairvaux."  Pitfeus  fimply  fays,  "  Natione  Angliis,  ordinis  S. 
Bcned'tRi,  Monachus  Cluniaccnfis." 

-  In  his  introduction  to  "The  Celeftial  Country,"  Dr.  Neale 
fays: — "I  have  here  deviated  from  my  ordinary  rule  of  adopting 
th.-  meafure  of  the  original;  becaufe  our  Language,  if  it  could  be 
tortured  to  any  diftant refemblance  of  its  rhythm,  would  utterly 
fail  t'>  give  any  idea  of  the  majeftic  fweetnefs  of  the  Latin." 
eval  Hymns  and  Sequences.      London,  2d  Edition. 

1  "As  .1  contrafl  to  the  mifery  and  pollution  of  earth,"  fays 

lie,  "  the  poem   \l)e  Con  temp  tu  Mundf]  opens  with  a  de- 

fcription  of  the  peace  and  glory  of  heaven,  of  fuch  rare  beauty 


<Tbe  Celejiial  Country.  37 

as  not  eafily  to  be  matched  by  any  mediaeval  compofition  on  the 
fame  fubject.  Dean  Trench,  in  his  'Sacred  Latin  Poetry,'  gave 
a  very  beautiful  cento  of  ninety-five  lines  from  the  work.  From 
that  cento  I  translated  the  larger  part  in  the  firft  edition  of  the 
prefent  book,  following  the  arrangement  of  Dean  Trench,  and 
not  that  of  Bernard.  The  great  popularity  which  my  tranflation, 
however  inferior  to  the  original,  attained,  is  evinced  by  the  very 
numerous  hymns  compiled  from  it,  which  have  found  their  way 
into  modern  collections ;  fo  that  in  fome  fhape  or  other  the 
Cluniac's  verfes  have  become,  as  it  were,  naturalized  among  us. 
This  led  me  to  think  that  a  fuller  extract  from  the  Latin,  and  a 
further  tranflation  into  Englifh,  might  not  be  unacceptable  to  the 
lovers  of  facred  poetry." 

"  It  would  be  moft  unthankful  did  I  not  exprefs  my  gratitude 
to  God  for  the  favor  He  has  given  fome  of  the  centos  made  from 
the  poem,  but  efpecially  Jerujalem  the  Golden.  It  has  found  a 
place  in  fome  twenty  hymnals ;  and  for  the  laft  two  years  it  has 
hardly  been  poflible  to  read  any  newfpaper,  which  gives  promi- 
nence to  ecclefiaftical  news,  without  feeing  its  employment 
chronicled  at  fome  dedication  or  other  feftival.  It  is  alfo  a  great 
favorite  with  diflenters,  and  has  obtained  admiflion  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  fervices.  *  And  I  fay  this,'  to  quote  Bernard's  own 
preface,  '  in  no  wife  arrogantly,  but  with  all  humility,  and  there- 
fore boldly.' 

"  But  more  thankful  ftill  am  I  that  the  Cluniac's  verfes  mould 
have  foothed  the  dying  hours  of  many  of  God's  fervants,  the 
moft  ftriking  inftance,  of  which  I  know,  is  related  in  the 
memoir  published  by  Mr.  Brownlow,  under  the  title,  A  Little 
Child  pall  lead  them  ;  where  he  fays  that  the  child  of  whom 
he  writes,  when  fuffering  agonies  which  the  medical  attendants 
declared  to  be  almoft  unparalleled,  would  lie  without  a  murmur 
or  motion,  while  the  whole  four  hundred  lines  were  read. 


38  "The  Celeftial  Country. 

"  I  have  no  hesitation  in  faying  that  I  look  on  thefe  vcrfes  of 
Bernard  as  the  mod  lovely,  in  the  fame  way  that  the  Dies  Ira 
is  the  moft  fublime,  and  the  Stabat  Mater  the  moft  pathetic  of 
mediaeval  poems.  They  are  even  fuperior  to  that  glorious  hvmn 
on  the  fame  fubjeft,  the  De  Gloria  et  Gaucliis  Paradifi  of  St. 
Peter  Damiani.  For  the  fake  of  comparifon,  I  quote  fome  of 
the  moft  ftriking  ftanzas  of  the  latter,  availing  myfelf  of  the 
admirable  tranflation  of  Mr.  Wackerbarth  {Med.  Hymns,  id 
Edition,  London) : 

THE    GLORY   AND    JOYS    OF    PARADISE. 

There  nor  waxing  moon,  nor  waning 

Sun  nor  ftars  in  courfes  bright ; 
For  the  Lamb  to  that  glad  city 

Shines  an  everlafting  light: 
There  the  daylight  beams  for  ever, 

All  unknown  are  time  and  night. 

For  the  Saints,  in  beauty  beaming, 

Shine  in  light  and  glors'  pure; 
Crowned  in  triumph's  Burning  honors, 

Joy  in  unifon  fecure  ; 
And  in  fafety  tell  their  battles, 

And  tluir  foes'  difcomfiture. 

Freed  from  every  ft. tin  of  evil, 

All  their  carnal  wars  are  done; 
For  the  flefli  made  fpi ritual 

And  the  foul  agree  in  one; 
Peace  unbroken  fpreads  enjoyment, 

Sin  and  fcandal  are  unknown. 


The  Celeftial  Country.  39 

Here  they  live  in  endlefs  being  ; 

PalTingnefs  hath  paffed  away  ; 
Here  they  bloom,  they  thrive,  they  flourifh, 

For  decayed  is  all  decay : 
Lafting  energy  hath  fwallowed 

Darkling  death's  malignant  fway. 

Though  each  one's  refpedtive  merit 

Hath  its  varying  palm  affigned, 
Love  takes  all  as  his  pofleffion, 

Where  his  power  hath  all  combined  j 
So  that  all  that  each  pofTefles 

All  partake  in  unconfined. 

Christ,  Thy  foldiers'  palm  of  honor, 

Unto  this  Thy  city  free 
Lead  me  when  my  warfare's  girdle 

I  mail  caft  away  from  me — 
A  partaker  in  Thy  bounty 

With  Thy  bleffed  ones  to  be. 

Grant  me  vigor,  while  I  labor 

In  the  ceafelefs  battle  prefied, 
That  Thou  mayft,  the  conflict  over, 

Grant  me  everlafting  reft  j 
And  I  may  at  length  inherit 

Thee,  my  portion  ever  bleft." 

"  Archdeacon  Trench  fays  very  well,  after  referring  to  the 
Ode  of  Cafimir  (the  great  Latin  poet  of  Poland),  Urit  me 
Patriae  decor,  that  both  '  turn  upon  the  fame  theme,  the  heav- 
enly home-ficknefs  j    but  with  all  the  claflical  beauty  of  the  Ode, 


4-0  The  Celeftial  Country. 

and  it  is  great,  who  does  not  feel  that  the  poor  Cluniac  monk's 
is  the  more  real  and  deep  utterance  ?' 

"The  Ode,  however,  is  well  worthy  of  a  translation,  and  here 
is  an  attempt : 

IT    KINDLES    ALL    MY   SOUL. 

It  kindles  all  my  foul, 
My  Country's  lovelinefs  !      Thofe  ftarry  choirs 

That  watch  around  the  pole, 
And  the  moon's  tender  light,  and  heavenly  fires 

Through  golden  halls  that  roll. 
O  chorus  of  the  night  !      O  planets,  fworn 

The  mufic  of  the  fpheres 
To  follow  !      Lovely  watchers,  that  think  fcorn 

To  reft  till  day  appears  ! 
Me,  for  celeftial  homes  of  glory  born, 

Why  here,  oh  why  fo  long, 
Do  ye  behold  an  exile  from  on  high  ? 

Here,  O  ye  ihining  throng, 
With  lilies  fpread  the  mound  where  I  {hall  lie  : 

Here  let  me  drop  my  chain, 
And  duft  to  dull  returning,  cafl  away 

The  trammels  th.it  remain: 
The  reft  of  me  (hall  fpring  t  >  endleffl  day!" 

4  Thefe    two   lines   are    taken    from    t'.ie    l.ill    London    edition. 
In  fome  editions  tiny  arc  tin;,  giv(  n  : 

"And  the  perfect  from  the  mattered, 

And  the  fallen  from  them  that  ftand." 

s  "Leah  and  Rachel  are  allegorized  in  three  different  ways  by 
mediaeval  poets.     Firft, ofthc  active  and  contemplative  life:  ami 


The  Celefiial  Country.  41 

thence  alfo,  by  an  eafy  tranfition,  to  the  toil  we  endure  on  earth, 
and  the  eternal  contemplation  of  God's  glory  in  Heaven  as  here. 
So  again,  in  a  fine  but  rugged  profe  in  the  Nuremberg  MiiTai 
for  St.  Jerome's  Day  : 

Then,  when  all  carnal  ftrife  hath  ceafed, 
And  we  from  warfare  are  releafed, 
O  grant  us  in  that  Heavenly  Feaft 

To  fee  Thee  as  Thou  art : 
To  Leah  give,  the  battle  won, 

Her  Rachel's  dearer  heart} 
To  Martha,  when  the  ftrife  is  done, 

Her  Mary's  better  part. 

"  The  parallel  fymbol  of  Martha  and  Mary  is,  however,  in 
this  fenCe  far  more  common,  and  is  even  found  in  epitaphs,  as 
in  that  of  Gundreda  de  Warren,  daughter  of  William  the  Con- 
queror : 

A  Martha  to  the  houfelefs  poor,  a  Mary  in  her  love  j 

And  though  her  Martha's  part  be  gone,  her  Mary's  lives  above. 

"  Bernard,  in  the  pafTage  we  are  confidering,  has  a  double  pro- 
priety in  the  changes  of  which  he  fpeaks.  Ifrael,  according  to 
St.  Auguftine's  rendering,  means,  He  that  beholds  God ;  Rachel, 
according  to  the  unwarrantable  mediaeval  explanation,  That  be- 
holds the  Beginning,  i.  c.,  Christ.  Thus,  the  change  fpoken  of 
is  from  earth  to  the  Beatific  Vifion  5  and  has  a  reference  alfo  to 
the  New  Name  and  White  Stone  of  the  Apocalypfe. 

"  The  fecond  allegory  of  Leah  and  Rachel  expounds  them  of 
the  Synagogue  and  the  Church  ;  the  third  makes  them  to  repre- 
fent  earthly  affliction  patiently  endured." — Mediaeval  Hymns. 
2d  Edition. 


42  The  Cclcjlial  Country. 

6  "  It  is  not  without  a  deep  myftical  meaning  that  thefe 
ftoncs  are  feledted  by  the  poet. 

"  The  twelve  foundation  ftones  of  the  Apocalypfe  gave  rile, 
as  might  be  expedfced,to  an  infinite  variety  of  myftical  interpre- 
tations. 'Jafper,'  fays  the  comment  of  Marbodus,  'is  the  firrt 
foundation  of  the  Church  of  God,  and  is  of  a  green  color.'  'It 
fignifies  thofe  who  always  hold  the  Faith  of  God  and  never  depart 
from  it,  or  wither,  but  are  always  flouriihing  therein,  and  fear 
not  the  afiaults  of  the  devil.'  'The  emerald  is  exceeding  green, 
furpamng  all  gems  and  herbs  in  greennefs.'  '  By  the  emerald  we 
underftand  thofe  who  excel  others  in  the  vigor  of  their  faith,  and 
dwell  among  infidels  who  be  frigid  and  arid  in  their  love.'  'The 
fardius,  which  is  wholly  red,  fignifies  the  martyrs  who  pour  forth 
their  blood  for  Christ.'  '  The  topaz  is  rare,  and  therefore  pre- 
cious. It  has  two  colors,  one  like  gold,  the  other  clearer.  In 
clearnefs  it  furpaffes  all  gems,  and  nothing  is  more  beautiful.  It 
fignifies  thofe  who  love  God  and  their  neighbor.'  'The  amethyft 
is  entirely  red,  and  lhoots  out  rofy  flames.  Its  color  fignifies 
earthly  furfering;  its  emiflions,  prayers  for  thofe  that  caule  it.'" 
— Mediaeval  Hymns.      2d  Edition. 

7  Thefe  ftanzas  are  evidently  confidered  by  Dr.  Nealc  his  beft. 
See  page  37.  //;  deference  to  that  opinion,  they  are  given  here  in 
the  form  in  whkh  they  appear  in  the  laft  edition  of  Mediaeval 
Hymns. 

s  "  Decachord,  with  reference  to  the  myftical  explanation,  which, 
feeing  in  the  number  ten  a  type  of  perfection,  underftands  the 
'inftrument  of  ten  fixings '  of  the  perfeel  harmony  of  heaven." 

9  "I  hive  been  fo  often  aflced  to  what  tune  the  words  of  Bir- 
nard  may  be  fung,  that  I  may  here  mention  that  of  Mr.  Ewing, 
the  earlier!  written,  the  be!l  known,  and    with   children  the  moft 


^he  Celeflial  Country.  43 

popular  j  that  of  my  friend,  the  Rev.  H.  L.  Jenner,  perhaps  the 
moft  ecclefiaftical ;  and  that  of  another  friend,  Mr.  Edmund 
Sedding,  which,  to  my  mind,  Deft  exprefTes  the  meaning  of  the 
words." — Mediaval  Hymns.      2d  Edition. 

*°  No  copy  of  De  Contemptu  Mundi  is  known  to  be  in  the 
United  States,  and  hence  the  extract  given  is  only  the  cento  from 
Trench's  Sacred  Latin  Poetry,  preceded  by  the  firft  fix  lines  of 
the  poem.  It  is  the  part  firft  tranflated  by  Dr.  Neale,  beginning 
at  the  line,  "Brief  life  is  here  our  portion." 

NOTE,  that  in  this  edition  of  The  Celejiial  Country  thefe 
changes  have  been  made  : 

1  ft.  The  poem  has  been  divided  into  irregular  ftanzas.  This 
change  of  form  is  partly  for  the  convenience  of  thofe  who  love 
to  refer  and  re-refer  to  favorite  paffages  j  partly  to  enable  chil- 
dren readily  to  feledl  from  it  ftanzas  to  be  learned  or  fung ;  but 
chiefly  to  render  its  intermingling  fentences  more  clear  to  thofe 
who  have  not  become  familiar  with  its  conftrudlion. 

2d.  The  punctuation  has  been  materially  remodelled  and 
changed. 

3d.  The  author's  text  has  been  altered  in  three  inftances,  where- 
in the  errors  corrected  feem  manifeftly  flips  of  the  pen  or  blunders 
of  the  compofitor,  viz.,  in  the  ninth  ftanza,  line  fourteen,  "thofe" 
is  fubftituted  for  "them  5"  in  the  twenty-fecond  ftanza,  line  two, 
"  Thy"  is  fubftituted  for  "  His,"  and  in  the  forty-firft  ftanza,  line 
nine,  "But"  is  fubftituted  for  "And." 
4 


44  ^he  -Daw  frtf. 


THE    DIES    IKjE. 


A  FRANCISCAN  monk  named  Thomas, 
born  near  the  beo-innino-  of  the  thirteenth 

D  O 

century,  at  Celano,a  Neapolitan  village,  achieved 
fome  reputation  in  his  time  as  the  friend  and 
biographer  of  St.  Francis  de  AmTi,  founder  of 
the  Order  of  Minorites.  About  the  year  1 250,  as 
is  fuppofed,  he  wrote  a  brief  lyric,  which,  reach- 
ing above  and  beyond  his  creed  and  time,  has 
entered  in  fome  form  into  the  worfhip  of  every 
Chriftian  people.  In  the  Romifh  Burial  Ser- 
vice it  forms  the  Sequence  for  the  Dead,  and  is 
fung  with  folemn  majefty  at  the  great  Sixtine 
Chapel,  while  portions  of  it  enter  into  the  praife 
or  meditations  of  nearly  "all  who  profefs  and 
call  themfelves  Chriftians."  So  that,  becoming 
more  highly  efteemed,  and  more  generally  known 
with  each  century  of  its  long  hiftory,  it  is  at  the 
prefent  time  both  fung  at  Rome  and  approved 
by  all  Proteftant  Chiiitendom. 


*the  Dies  Ira.  45 

A  long  lift  might  be  framed  of  the  great  who 
have  avowed  for  it  a  fupreme  admiration,  ex- 
celling that  yielded  to  any  other  compofition  of 
its  kind.  And  fuch  a  roll  would  contain  the 
names  of  men  of  different  countries  as  of  dif- 
ferent creeds  \  of  foldiers,  ftatefmen  and  poets  ; 
of  hiftorians,  Churchmen,  and  compofers,  upon 
whofe  lips  it  has  hovered,  and  in  whofe  works 
it  has  been  engraved.  Mozart,  Haydn,  Goethe, 
Schlegel,  Johnfon,  Dryden,  Scott,  Milman,  and 
Jeremy  Taylor  would  be  among  thefe  names. 

This  lyric,  which  is  the  greateft  of  hymns, 
neverthelefs  is  caft  in  the  fimpleft  of  forms. 
Beginning  with  an  exclamation  from  the  Scrip- 
tures, it  continues  through  its  few  ftanzas  the 
addrefs  of  a  fingle  actor  upon  a  fingle  fubjecl:. 
Its  meafure  could  not  be  more  artlefs,  nor  its 
ftanzas  more  fimple.  The  auguft  language  in 
which  it  is  clothed,  it  has  bent  into  the  form  of 
rhyme,  and  this  rhyme  is  of  a  kind  which  is 
faid  to  be  wanting  in  dignity,  and  better  adapt- 
ed to  comic  than  to  elevated  verfe.  Yet  it 
commands  the  homage  of  the  Englifhman,  the 
German,  the   Italian,  and  the  modern  Greek  ; 


46  The  Dies  Ira. 

and  even  pofTeffes  fo  ft  range  a  gift  of  fafcination, 
a  gift  in  which  no  other  compofition  equals  and 
but  one  other  approaches  it,  that  the  very  found 
of  its  words  will  allure  him  who  is  ignorant  of 
their  meaning. 

This  marvellous  power  cannot  be  meafured 
and  defined,  yet  a  diftinguifhed  American  cler- 
gyman has  thus  clofely  analyzed  it  :  "  Com- 
bining fomewhat  of  the  rhythm  of  clamcal 
"  Latin,  with  the  rhymes  of  the  mediaeval  Latin, 
"  treating  of  a  theme  full  of  awful  fublimity,  and 
"  grouping  together  the  moft  ftartling  imagery  of 
"  Scripture  as  to  the  laft  Judgment,  and  throwing 
"  this  into  yet  ftronger  relief  by  the  barbaric  fim- 
"  plicity  of  the  ftyle  in  which  it  is  fet,  and  adding 
"  to  all  thefe  its  full  and  trumpet-like  cadences, 
"  and  uniting  with  the  impamoncd  feelings  of  the 
t(-  South,  whence  it  emanated,  the  gravity  of  the 
"  North,  whofe  feverer  ftyle  it  adopted." — D  : 
U\  R.  Williams. 

The  Great  Hymn  has  ever  allured  and  eluded 
tranflators.  Its  apparent  artlefTnefs  and  \\w\- 
plicity  indicate  that  it  can  be  turned  readily  into 
another  language,  but  its  fecret  power  refufes  to 


Hke  Dies  Ira.  47 

be  thus  transferred.  A  German  theologian 
(Lifco,  Berlin,  1843)  ^as  collected  and  pub- 
lifhed  eightv-feven  verfions,  nearly  all  of  which 
are  in  the  German.  In  our  Englifh  tongue  the 
tafk  of  rendering  the  Latin  into  verfe  of  the 
fame  meafure  is  more  difficult,  and  fome  of  our 
tranflators  have  fought  to  reproduce  the  form, 
and  others  to  preferve  the  power  of  the  original. 
The  reader  of  Scott  will  remember  with  what 
ftrength  a  few  ftanzas  burn1  on  us  in  the  firft. 
reading  of  "The  Lav."  In  form  and  meaning 
thev  hardiv  claim  the  name  of  a  tranflation,  yet 
they  have  caught  the  fpirit  of  the  hvmn  with  a 
vividnefs  that  nothing  in  our  language  equals. 

The  mafs  was  fung,  and  prayers  were  faid, 
And  folemn  requiem  for  the  dead  ; 
And  bells  toll'd  out  their  mighty  peal, 
For  the  departed  fpirit's  weal  ; 
And  ever  in  the  office  clofe 
The  hvmn  of  interceffion  rofe  ; 
And  far  the  echoing  aiiles  prolong 
The  awful  burden  of  the  fong — 

Dies  Irje,  Dies  Illa  ! 

solvet  sjeclum  in   favilla  ; 


48  The  Dies  Ira. 

While  the  pealing  organ  rung  ; 
Were  it  meet  with  facred  ftrain 
To  clofe  my  lay  fo  light  and  vain, 

Thus  the  holy  Fathers  fung  : 


That  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day  ! 
When  heaven  and  earth  mall  pafs  away, 
What  power  mail  be  the  finner's  flay  ? 
How  (hall  he  meet  that  dreadful  day  ? 


When  fhrivelling  like  a  parched  fcroll 
The  flaming  heavens  together  roll  ; 
When  louder  yet,  and  yet  more  dread, 
Swells  the  high  trump  that  wakes  the  dead  ! 


Oh  !   on  that  day,  that  wrathful  day 
When  man  to   judgment  wakes  from  clay, 
Be  Thou  the  trembling  finner's  ftay, 
Though  heaven  and  earth  lhall  pafs  away  ! 


TZv  Dies  Ira.  49 

I. 

The  eftablifhed  verfion  of  the  hymn  is 
known  as  that  of  Paris.  It  differs  in  but  one 
line  from  that  of  Rome,  which  has  for  the  third 
line  of  the  firft  ftanza,  Cruets  expandens  vexilla. 

There  have  been  ftanzas  prefixed  to  the  hymn 
and  others  added  ;  but,  in  its  great  ftrength,  it 
has  fhaken  off  all  fuch  fpurious  additions.  A 
marble  flab  in  the  Church  of  St.  Francis,  at 
Mantua,  bore  a  copy  of  the  hymn  prefaced 
by  five  ftanzas,  which  many  fcholars  have 
thought,  from  the  great  age  of  the  church, 
authentic.  But  the  church  is  a  century  younger 
than  the  hymn,  and  thefe  ftanzas  condemn 
themfelves  : 

Dies  ilia,  dies  irae 

Quam  conemur  praevenire, 

Obveamque  Deo  irae. 

The  inverfion  of  the  Scriptural  text,  the 
poverty  of  the  rhyme,  and  the  weaknefs  of  the 
thought,  are  not  faults  of  the  Dies  IiiiE.  Its 
author  undoubtedly  took  the  quotation  from 
Zcphaniah  as  a  text,  and  placed  it  at  the  head 


u 


50  Hhe  Dies  Ira. 

of  his  compofition ;  and  the  inverfion,  u  Dies  ilia, 
dies  ir<z"  is  the  play  upon  words  to  which  an 
imitator  alone  would  refort. 


II. 


The  author  of  the  firft  tranflation  given  in 
this  volume,  in  a  preface  to  his  work,  fays  : 

A   production  univerfally  acknowledged  to 

have  no  fuperior  of  its  class  mould  be  as  lit- 
"  erally  rendered  as  the  ftru&ure  of  the  lan- 
"  guage  into  which  it  is  tranflated  will  admit. 
11  Moreover,  no  tranflation  can  be  complete 
"  which  does  not  conform  to  the  original  in  its 
u  rhythmic  quantities.  The  mufic  of  the  Dies 
"  Irje  is  as  old  as  the  hymn,  if  not  older  ;  and 
"with  thofe  who  arc  familiar  with  both,  they 
"  are  inseparably  connected  in  thought.  To 
11  fatisfy  the  exactions  of  fuch  minds,  the  ca- 
dences muft  be  the  lame" 

In  this  endeavor  the  author  has  (o  well  fuc- 
ceeded,  that  when  this  verfion  is  compared 
ftanza  by  ftanza  with  the  original,  it  will  be 
found  to  be  in  the  fame  trochaic  meafure,  in  the 


TZv  Dies  Ira.  51 

fame  difficult  double  rhyme,  in  ftanzas  of  the 
fame  triplicate  construction,  and,  with  feweft 
errors,  to  be  as  a  tranflation  the  moft  literal  and 
juft  that  has  been  made.  Yet  this  fuccefs  in 
letters  was  achieved  by  a  foldier,  during  the 
gloomier!:  period  of  a  great  and  diffracting  war. 
The  author  is  Major-General  John  A.  Dix, 
U.  S.  V.,  and  the  translation  was  made  at 
Fortrefs  Monroe,  in  the  fecond  year  of  the 
Rebellion. 


III. 


The  intenfe  power  of  the  Great  Hymn  is 
alfo  exemplified  in  the  different  renderings  which 
have  been  made  by  the  fame  author.  Dr.  Abra- 
ham Coles,  an  American  phyfician,  has  per- 
formed indeed  the  remarkable  tafk  of  making 
thirteen  different  verfions  ;  fix  of  which  are  in 
the  trochaic  meafure  and  double  rhyme  of  the 
hymn,  and  all  are  fufficiently  diftincl:  and  origi- 
nal to  form  the  creditable  work  of  thirteen 
different  men.  This  verfion  is  the  firft  of  Dr. 
Coles. 


52  "The  Dies  Ira. 

IV. 

The  next  verfion  is  the  eleventh  of  Dr. 
Coles.  It  is  in  Tingle  rhyme  and  iambic  verfe, 
and  therein  differs  from  the  original. 

V. 

This  verfion  is  by  that  nobleman  of  whom 
Pope  has  written  : 

"Such  was  Rofcommon,  not  more  learned  than  good, 
Of  manners  generous  as  his  noble  blood  : 
To  him  the  wit  of  Greece  and  Rome  was  known, 
And  every  author's  merit  but  his  own." 

And  of  whom  Dryden  has  confefled  : 

"It  was  my  Lord  Rofcommon's  effay  on 
"tranflated  verfe  which  made  me  uneafy  till  1 

"  tried  whether  or  no  I  was  capable  of  follow- 
"  ing  his  rules,  and  of  reducing  the  fpeculation 

Lt  into  practice." 

And  of  whom  Johnfon  has  recorded  : 
"  At   the   moment    in    which    he   expired,    he 
u  uttered,  with  an  energy  of  voice  that  expreffed 


The  Dies  Ira,  53 

"  the  moft   fervent   devotion,  two   lines   of  his 
"  own  verfion  of  Dies  Ir^e  : 

1  My  God,  my  Father,  and  my  Friend, 
Do  not  forfake  me  in  my  end.'  " 

In  the  beautiful  fervor  of  its  devotion,  Rof- 
common's  excels  all  other  translations,  but  its 
verfe  is  not  that  of  the  Dies  Ir;e. 


VI. 

Crafhaw,  the  contemporary  of  Herbert,  and 
friend  of  Cowley,  is  the  author  of  this  verfion. 
It  is  the  olden1  in  our  language  (1646),  though 
there  is  a  weak  paraphrafe  by  Drummond  of 
Hawthornden,  beginning  : 

Ah,  filly  foul  !   what  wilt  thou  fay 
When  He,  whom  heaven  and  earth  obey, 
Comes  man  to  judge  in  the  laft  day  ! 

No  translation  furpafTes  Crafhaw's  in  ftrength, 
but  the  form  of  his  ftanza  and  the  meafure  of 
his  verfe  are  lead  like  thofe  of  the  original. 


54  ^be  Dies  Ira. 

VII. 

The  verfion  of  Dr.  W.  J.  Irons  may  be  re- 
garded as  the  accepted  verfion  of  the  prefent 
day  in  Great  Britain,  and  is  the  one  fele6led  by 
the  Hymnal  Noted.  It  is  in  the  double  rhyme 
and  meafure  of  the  original,  and  parts  of  it  bear 
a  ftriking  refemblance  to  the  American  verfion 
of  General  Dix.  But  a  much  more  curious 
coincidence  in  conception,  with  an  abfolute  iden- 
tity of  language  in  many  parts,  exifts  in  the  un- 
publifhed  verfion  of  an  accomplifhed  tranflator 
(Mr.  A.  Peries,  of  Philadelphia),  wherein  feveral 
ftanzas  differ  but  little  from  thofe  of  General 
Dix.      The  eleventh  (lands  as  follows  : 

"  Righteous  Judge  of  retribution, 
Grant  us  finners  abfolution 
Ere  the  day  of  diflblution  !'* 


VIII. 

It  is  a  notable  fact  in  the  hiftory  of  the 
Dies  Irte,  that  the  belt  Englifli  tranflations 
which    we    poffefs    are    not    the    work    of   our 


The  Dies   Ira.  55 

great  poets.  A  recent  verfion,  which  Co  capable 
and  accomplifhed  a  critic  as  Mr.  Prime  pro- 
nounces to  be  "  in  many  refpe&s  the  beft  Eng- 
lifh  verfion  hitherto  produced,  and  peculiarly 
valuable  for  thofe  who  do  not  read  the  Latin, 
and  who  defire  to  gain  fome  idea  of  the  power 
and  beauty  of  this  moft  celebrated  hymn  of  the 
Church,"  alio  illuftrates  this  remarkable  fact. 
The  author  is  Edward  Sloffon,  Efq.,  of  the  bar 
of  New  York. 

And  in  this  connection  it  may  be  obferved, 
that  even  fo  accomplished  a  mailer  in  profe  and 
verfe  as  Macaulay  has  fucceeded  no  better  in 
the  difficult  talk  than  is  mown  by  his  verfion 
written  for  the  London  Chrijiian  Obferver  in 
1826,  beginning — 

"  On  that  great,  that  awful  day, 
This  vain  world  fhall  pafs  away. 
Thus  the  Sibyl  fang  of  old  ; 
Thus  hath  holy  David  told. 
There  fhall  be  a  deadly  fear 
When  the  Avenger  fhall  appear; 
And,  unveiled  before  his  eye, 
All  the  works  of  men  £hall  lie." 


56  Tie  Dies  Ira. 


I. 

THOMAS    DE    CELANO. 

Dies  ir^:,  dies  illa,  dies  tribulationis  et  anguftiae,  dies  calarru 
itatis  et  miferiae,  dies  tenebrarum  et  caliginis,  dies  nebula?  et 
turbinis,  dies  tubae  et  clangoris  fuper  civitatis  munitas,  et  fuper 
angulos  excelfos  ! — Sophonia,  i.  15,  1 6. 


D 


IES    IRiE,    DIES    ILLA  ! 


Solvet  faeclum   in   favilla, 
Telle   David  cum   Svbilla. 

11. 

Quantus  tremor  clt  futurus, 
Quando  Judex  eit  venturus, 
Cuncla   filiate   difcuffurus. 

in. 

Tuba  mirum   fpargens  fonum 
Per  fepulcra  regionum, 
Coget   omnes  ante  tluonum. 


The  Dies  Ira.  57 


II. 


GENERAL    DIX. 

That  day,  a  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  trouble  and  difrefs,  a 
day  of  ivafenefs  and  defolation,  a  day  of  darknefs  and  gloomineJsy 
a  day  of  clouds  and  thick  darknefs,  a  day  of  the  trumpet  and  alarm 
againjl  the  fenced  cities,  and  again/1  the  high  toivers ! — Zeph- 
aniah,  i.  15,  16, 


DAY  of  vengeance,  without  morrow  ! 
Earth  mail  end  in  flame  and  forrow, 
As  from  Saint  and  Seer  we  borrow. 


Ah  !   what  terror  is  impending, 
When  the  Judge  is  feen  defcending, 
And  each  fecret  veil  is  rending. 

3- 
To  the  throne,  the  trumpet  founding, 
Through  the  fepulchres  refounding, 
Summons  all,  with  voice  aftounding. 


58  The  Dies  Ira. 


IV. 


Mors  ftupebit,  et  natura, 
Quum  refurget  creatura, 
Judicanti   refponfura. 


Liber  fcriptus  proferetur, 
In  quo  totum  continetur, 
Unde  mundus  judicetur. 

VI. 

Judex  ergo  cum  fedebit, 
Quidquid  latet,   apparebit  : 
Nil  inultum  remanebit. 

VII. 

Quid   fum,  mifer  !    tunc   dicturus, 
Quem  patronum  rogaturus, 
Quum   vix  juftus  (it  fecurus  ? 


The  Dies  ha.  {n 


Death  and  Nature,  mazed,  are  quaking, 
When,  the  grave's  long  number  breaking, 
Man  to  judgment  is  awaking. 


On  the  written  Volume's  pages, 
Life  is  mown  in  all  its  ftages — 
Judgment-record  of  paft  ages  ! 


Sits  the  Judge,  the  raifed  arraigning, 
Darkeft  myfteries  explaining, 
Nothing  unavenged  remaining. 


What  fhall  I  then  fay,  unfriended, 

By  no  advocate  attended, 

When  the  juft  are  fcarce  defended  ? 


Oo  The  Dies  Ira. 


VIII. 


Rex  tremendae  majeftatis, 
Qui  falvandos  falvas  gratis, 
Salva  me,  fons  pietatis  ! 


IX. 


Recordare,  Jefu  pie, 
Quod  fum  caufa  tuae  viae  ; 
Ne  me  perdas  ilia  die  ! 


Quarens  me,  fedifti  lamis, 
Redemifti,  crucem  paflus  : 
Tantus  labor  non  fit  caffus. 


XI. 

Jufte  Judex  ultionis, 
Donum  fac  remiflionis 
Ante  diem   rationis. 


Hhe  Dies  Ira.  61 

8. 

King  of  majefty  tremendous, 
By  Thy  faving  grace  defend  us, 
Fount  of  pity,  fafety  fend  us  ! 

9- 

Holy  Jesus,  meek,  forbearing, 

For  my  fins  the  death-crown  wearing, 

Save  me,  in  that  day,  defpairing. 


10. 

Worn  and  weary,  Thou  haft  fought  me  ; 
By  Thy  crofs  and  paffion  bought  me — 
Spare  the  hope  Thy  labors  brought  me. 


II. 

Righteous  Judge  of  retribution, 
Give,  O  give  me  abfolution 
Ere  the  day  of  diftblution. 
5 


62  -The  Dies  Ira. 


XII. 


Ingemifco  tanquam  reus, 
Culpa  rubet  vultus  meus  % 
Supplicanti  parce,  Deus  ! 


XIII. 


Qui  Mariam  abfolvifti, 
Et  latronem  exaudifti, 
Mihi  quoque  fpem  dedifti. 


XIV. 


Preces  meae  non  funt   dignae5 
Sed  Tu  bonus  fac  benigne 
Ne  perenni   cremer  igne  ! 


xv. 


Inter  oves  locum   pnefta, 
Et  ab  haedis  me  fequeftra, 
Statuens  In  parte  dextra. 


The  Dies  Ira.  63 


12. 


As  a  guilty  culprit  groaning, 
Flufhed  my  face,  mv  errors  owning, 
Hear,  O  God,  my  fpirit's  moaning  ! 


*3- 

Thou  to  Mary  gav'ft  remiflion, 
Heard'ft  the  dying  thief's  petition, 
Bad'ft  me  hope  in  my  contrition. 


In  my  prayers  no  grace  difcerning, 
Yet  on  me  Thy  favor  turning, 
Save  my  foul  from  endlefs  burning. 

15- 

Give  me,  when  Thy  fheep  confiding 
Thou  art  from  the  goats  dividing, 
On  Thy  right  a  place  abiding  ! 


64  'The  Dm  Ircz. 


XVI. 


Confutatis  maledi&is, 
Flammis  acribus  addidtis, 
Voca  me  cum  benedi&is  ! 


XVII. 


Oro  fupplex  et  acclinis, 
Cor  contritum  quafi  cinisa 
Gere  curam  mei   finis. 


XVIII. 


Lacrymofa  dies   ilia  ! 
Qua  refurget  ex   favilla. 
Judicandus  homo  reus  •, 
Huic  ergo  parce,   Deus  \ 


¥he  Dies  Ira.  65 

16. 

When  the  wicked  are  confounded, 
And  by  bitter  flames  furrounded, 
Be  my  joyful  pardon  founded  ! 


17- 

Proftrate,  all  my  guilt  difcerning, 
Heart  as  though  to  ames  turning  ; 
Save,  O  fave  me  from  the  burning  f 

18. 

Day  of  weeping,  when  from  afhes 
Man  (hall  rife  mid  lightning  flafhes5 
Guilty,  trembling  with  contrition, 
Save  him,.  Father,  from  perdition  ! 


66  -The  Dies  Ira. 


III. 


DR.    COLES. 


r\AY  of  wrath,  that  day  of  burning, 
-*— ^    Seer  and  fibyl  fpeak  concerning, 
All  the  world  to  afhes  turning. 

2. 

Oh,  what  fear  fhall  it  engender, 
When  the  Judge  fhall  come  in  fplendor, 
Strict  to  mark  and  juft  to  render. 

3- 

Trumpet  fcattering  founds  of  wonder, 
Rending  fepulchres  afunder, 
Shall  refiftlefs  fummons  thunder. 


'The  Dies  Ira.  67 


IV. 


DR.    COLES. 


I. 


DAY  of  wrath,  that  day  of  dole, 
When  a  fire  fhall  wrap  the  whole, 
And  the  earth  be  burnt  to  coal  ! 


O,  what  horror  uniting  dumb 
When  the  Judge  of  all  fhall  come, 
Sinful  deeds  to  fearch  and  fum  ! 


Trump's  reverberating  roar 
Through  the  fepulchres  fhall  pour, 
Citing  all  the  Throne  before. 


68  Tbe  Dies  Ira. 


All  aghaft  then  Death  (hall  fhiver, 
And  great  Nature's  frame  mail  quiver, 
When  the  graves  their  dead  deliver. 

5- 

Book  where  actions  are  recorded, 

All  the  ages  have  afforded 

Shall  be  brought,  and  dooms  awarded. 


When  fhall  fit  the  Judge  unerring, 
He'll  unfold  all  here  occurring, 
No  jult  vengeance  then  deferring. 


What  fhall  I  fay,  that  time  pending  ? 
Afk  what  advocate's  befriending, 
When  the  jult  man  needs  defending  ? 


"The  Dies  Ira.  69 

4- 

Death  and  Nature  ftand  aghaft, 
While  the  dead,  in  numbers  vaft, 
Rife  to  anfwer  for  the  paft. 


5- 

Volume  writ  by  God's  own  pen, 

Chronicling  the  deeds  of  men, 

Shall  be  brought,  and  dooms  be  then, 

6. 

When  the  Judge  mail  fit,  behold  ! 
What  is  fecret  He'll  unfold, 
No  juft  punifhment  withhold. 

7- 

Ah  !   what  plea  mail  I  prepare, 
To  what  Patron  make  my  prayer, 
When  the  juft  well-nigh  defpair  ? 


7°  The  Dies  Ira. 

8. 

Dreadful  King,  all  power  poflefling, 

Saving  freely  thofe  confefling, 

Save  Thou  me,  O  Fount  of  Blefling  ! 

9- 

Think,  O  Jesus,  for  what  reafon 

Thou  didft  bear  earth's  fpite  and  treafon, 

Nor  me  lofe  in  that  dread  feafon  ! 


10. 

Seeking  me  Thy  worn  feet  haftcd, 
On  the  crofs  Thy  foul  death  tafted 
Let  inch  travail  not  he  wafted  ! 


Righteous  Judge  of  retribution  ! 
Make  nu-  gift  of  abfolution 
Ere  that  day  of  execution  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  7* 

8. 

King  majeftic  beyond  thought, 
Whofe  free  grace  cannot  be  bought, 
Save  me,  whofe  defert  is  naught  ! 

9- 

O  remember,  Jesus,  I 

Was  the  caufe  and  reafon  why 

Thou  didft  come  on  earth  to  die  ! 


10. 

Me  Thou  fought'ft  with  weary  feet, 
And  my  ranfom  didft  complete  : 
Let  fuch  pity  naught  defeat  ! 


II. 

Judge  inflexible  and  ftrict, 
Pardon,  ere  that  day  convict, 
And  th'  unchanging  doom  inflict  ! 


72  The   Dies  Ira. 

12. 

Culprit-like  I  plead,  heart-broken, 
On  mv  cheek  (name's  crimfon  token 
Let  the  pardoning  word  be  fpoken  ! 

Thou  who  Mary  gav'ft  remiflion, 
Heard'ft  the  dying  thief's  petition, 
Cheer'ft  with  hope  my  loft  condition. 


14. 

Though  my  prayers  be  void  of  merit. 
What  is  needful,  Thou  confer  it, 
Left  I  endlefs  fire  inherit  ! 


Be  there,  Lord,  mv  place  decided 
With  Tin   (heep,  horn  goats  divided, 
Kindly  to  Thy  right  hand  guided  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  73 

12. 

Like  a  criminal  I  figh, 
Blufhing,  penitently  cry  : 
Pafs,  Lord,  my  offences  by ! 

Thou,  who  Alary  erft  didft  blefs, 
Heard'ft  the  thief  in  his  diftrefs  j 
Hope  has  given  me  no  lefs. 

Worthlefs  are  my  prayers  and  vain, 
But  in  love  do  not  difdain, 
Left  I  reap  eternal  pain ! 


15. 

On  Thy  right  hand  grant  me  place 
Mid  the  fheep,  a  chofen  race — 
Far  from  goats  devoid  of  grace  ! 


74  ^he  D/es  lr<z. 

16. 

When  th*  accurfed  away  are  driven, 

To  eternal  burnings  given, 

Call  me  with  the  blefled  to  heaven  ! 


i7- 

I  befeech  Thee,  proftrate  lying, 
Heart  as  allies,  contrite,  fighing, 
Care  for  me  when  I  am  dying ! 

18. 

Day  of  tears  and  late  repentance, 
Man  (hall  rife  to  hear  his  fentence: 
Him,  the  child  of  guilt  and  error, 
Spare,  Lord,  in  that  hour  of  terror  ! 


'The  Dies  Ira.  IS 


16. 


When  the  thunder  of  Thine  ire 
Headlong  hurls  to  quenchlefs  fire, 
Let  Thy  welcome  me  infpire  ! 


I7- 

I  entreat  Thee,  bending  low, 
Heart  as  allies,  full  of  woe, 
Succor  in  mine  end  beftow  ! 


18. 

When  upon  that  day  of  tears 
Man  from  duft  again  appears, 
Fate  depending  on  Thy  nod  : 
Spare  the  finner  then,  O  God ! 


76  ^ibe  Dies  Ira. 


V. 


EARL    ROSCOMMON. 


r  I  ^HE  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day-, 
-*-      Shall  the  whole  world  in  afhes  lay, 
As  David  and  the  Sibyls  fay. 

2. 

What  horror  will  invade  the  mind 

When  the  (tricl  Judge,  who  would  be  kind, 

Shall  have  few  venial  faults  to  find. 


3- 

The  lafr.  loud  trumpet's  wondrous  found 
Shall  through  the  rending  tombs  rebound, 
And  wake  the  nations  under  ground. 


The  Dies  ha.  77 


VI. 


RICHARD    CRASHAW 
I. 

HE AR'ST  thou,  my  foul,  what  ferious  things 
Both  the  Pfalm  and  Sibyl  fings 
Of  a  fure  Judge,  from  whofe  fharp  ray 
The  world  in  flames  (hall  fly  away  ! 

2. 

O  that  Fire  !   before  whofe  face 
Heaven  and  earth  fhall  find  no  place : 
O  thofe  Eyes  !   whofe  angrv  light 
Muft  be  the  day  of  that  dread  night. 

3- 
O  that  Trump  !   whofe  blaft  mail  run 
An  even  round  with  th'  circling  Sun, 
And  urge  the  murmuring  graves  to  bring 
Pale  mankind  forth  to  meet  his  King. 


I  The  Dies  Ira. 

4- 
Nature  and  death  (hall  with  furprife 
Behold  the  pale  offender  rife, 
And  view  the  Judge  with  confeious  eyes, 

5- 
Then  fhall,  with  univerfal  dread, 
The  facred,  myftic  book  be  read 
To  try  the  living  and  the  dead. 

6. 

The  Judge  afcends  His  awful  throne  5 
He  makes  each  fecret  fin  be  known, 
And  all  with  fhame  confefs  their  own. 


7- 
O  then,  what  interefl:  mall  I  make 
To  fave  my  lall  important  Hake 
When  the  molt  juit  have  cauie  to  quake  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  - 

4« 
Horror  of  Nature,  Hell,  and  Death ! 
When  a  deep  groan  from  beneath 
Shall  cry,  "We  come,  we  come  !"  and  all 
The  caves  of  night  anfwer  one  call. 

5- 

O  that  book  !   whofe  leaves  fo  bright 
Will  fet  the  world  in  fevere  light. 
O  that  Judge  !   whofe  hand,  whofe  eye 
None  can  endure,  yet  none  can  fly. 

6. 

Ah  then,  poor  foul !   what  wilt  thou  fay  ? 
And  to  what  patron  choofe  to  pray, 
When  ftars  themfelves  mall  ftagger,  and 
The  molt  firm  foot  no  more  mall  ftand  ? 

7- 

But  Thou  giv'ft  leave,  dread  Lord,  that  we 
Take  fhelter  from  Thyfelf  in  Thee  ; 
And  with  the  wings  of  Thine  own  dove 
Fly  to  Thy  fceptre  of  foft  love  ! 


8o  ^be  Dies  Ira. 

8. 
Thou  mighty,  formidable  King  I 
Thou  mercy's  unexhaufted  fpring, 
Some  comfortable  pity  bring  ! 


9- 

Forget  not  what  my  ranibm  coft  ; 
Nor  let  my  dear-bought  foul  be  loft, 
In  ftorms  of  guilty  terrors  toft. 

10. 

Thou  who  for  me  didft  feel  fuch  pain, 
Whole  precious  blood  the  crofs  did  (tain. 
Let  not  thele  agonies  be  vain  I 

II. 

Thou  whom  avenging  powers  obey, 
Cancel  my  debt,  too  great  to  pay, 
Before  the  fad  accounting  day  ! 


The  Dies  Tra. 


8. 


Dear  [Lord],  remember  in  that  day 
Who  was  the  caufe  Thou  cam'ft  this  way  ; 
Thv  fheep  was  ftraved,  and  Thou  wouldft  be 
Even  loft  Thyfelf  in  feeking  me  ! 

9- 
Shall  all  that  labor,  all  that  coft 
Of  love,  and  even  that  lofs,  be  loft  : 
And  this  loved  foul  judged  worth  no  lefs 
Than  all  that  way  and  wearineb  ? 

10= 

Juft  Mercv,  then,  Thv  reck'ning  be 
With  my  price,  and  not  with  me  ; 
'Twas  paid  at  hrft  with  too  much  pain 
To  be  paid  twice,  or  once  in  vain. 

n. 

Mercv,  my  Judge,  mercv  I  cry, 
With  blufhing  cheek  and  bleeding  eye  ; 
The  confeious  colors  of  mv  fin 
Are  red  without,  and  pale  within. 


82  The  Dies  Ira. 

12. 

Surrounded  with  amazing  fears, 
Whofe  load  my  foul  with  anguifh  bears, 
I  figh,  I  weep  !  accept  my  tears  ! 

Thou  who  wert  moved  with  Mary's  grief, 

And  by  abfolving  of  the  thief 

Haft  given  me  hope,  now  give  relief 

Reject  not  my  unworthy  prayer  ; 
Preferve  me  from  the  dangerous  fnare 
Which  death  and  gaping  hell  prepare. 

15- 
Give  my  exalted  foul  a  place 
Among  Thy  chofen  right-hand  race, 
The  Ions  of  God  and  heirs  of  grace. 


TZv  Dies  Ira.  83 


12. 

O  let  Thine  own  foft  bowels  pay 
Thyfelf,  and  fo  difcharge  that  day  ! 
If  Sin  can  figh,  Love  can  forgive, 
O,  fay  the  word,  my  foul  fhall  live  ! 

Thofe  mercies  which  Thy  Mary  found, 
Or  who  Thy  crofs  confefs'd  and  crowned, 
Hope  tells  my  heart  the  fame  loves  be 
Still  alive,  and  ftill  for  me. 

14- 
Th  ough  both  my  prayers  and  tears  combine, 
Both  worthlefs  are,  for  they  are  mine  ■> 
But  Thou  Thy  bounteous  felf  ftill  be, 
And  fhow  Thou  art  by  faving  me. 

15- 

O  when  Thy  laft  frown  fhall  proclaim 
The  flocks  of  goats  to  folds  of  flame, 
And  all  Thy  loft  fheep  found  fhall  be, 
Let  "  Come  ye  blefted  "  then  call  me  ! 


84  "The    Dies  Ira. 

16. 

From  that  infatiable  abvfs, 

Where  flames  devour  and  ferpents  hifs, 

Promote  me  to  thy  feat  of  blifs. 


*7- 

Proftrate  my  contrite  heart  I  rend, 
My  God,  my  Father,  and  my  Friend  : 
Do  not  forfake  me  in  my  end  ! 


Well  may  they  curfe  their  fecond  breath 
Who  rife  to  a  reviving  death  : 
Thou  great  Creator  of  mankind, 
Let  guilty  man  companion  find  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  8< 

16. 

When  the  dread  "  ITE  "  fhall  divide 
Thofe  limbs  of  death  from  Thy  left  fide, 
Let  thofe  life-fpeaking  lips  command 
That  I  inherit  Thy  right  hand  ! 

O,  hear  a  fuppliant  heart  all  crufh'd, 
And  crumbled  into  contrite  duft  ! 
My  hope,  my  fear — mv  Judge,  my  Friend  ! 
Take  charge  of  me,  and  of  my  end  ! 


86  The  Dies  Ira. 


VII. 


DR.    IRONS. 


D 


AY  of  Wrath  !   O  Day  of  mourning  ! 
See  !   once  more  the  Crofs  returning, 


Heav'n  and  earth  in  afhes  burning  ! 


2. 

O  what  fear  man's  bofom  rendeth 


b,»   del 


When  from  Heav'n  the  Judge  defcendeth, 
On  whofe  fentencc  all  dependeth  ! 


Wondrous  found  the  Trumpet  flingeth, 
Through  earth's  fepulchres  it  ringeth, 

All  before  the  throne  it  hiingeth  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  87 


VIII. 


MR.    SLOSSON. 


DAY  of  wrath  !  of  days  That  Day  ! 
Earth  in  flames  (hall  melt  away, 
Pfalmift  thus  and  Sibyl  fay. 


2. 

What  fwift  terrors  then  mail  fall 


When  defcends  the  Judge  of  all, 
Every  action  to  recall  ! 


When  the  trump,  with  wondrous  tone 
Through  the  graves  of  nations  gone, 
Bids  the  race  confront  the  Throne. 


88  Tc,    Die.    Ira. 


4- 


Death  is  ftruck,  and  nature  quaking, 

All  creation  Is  awaking, 

To  its  Judge  an  anfwer  making  ! 


Lo,  the  Book,  exactly  worded  ! 
Wherein  all  hath  been  recorded  ; 
Thence  (hall  judgment  be  awarded. 


n  the  Judge  His  feat  attained), 
And  each  hidden  deed  arraigneth, 
Nothing  unaveng'd  remaineth. 


What  (hall  [,  frail  man,  be  pleading, 
Who  for  iiu-  be  intercedii 

n  the  juft  are  mercy  needing  ? 


The  Dies  Ira.  89 


Death  (hall  die — fair  nature  too  ; 
As  the  creature,  ris'n  anew, 
Anfwers  to  his  God's  review. 


He  the  fcroll  of  fate  (hall  fpread, 
Writ  with  all  things  done  or  faid, 
Thence  to  judge  th'  awaken'd  dead-. 


6. 

Lo  !    He  takes  His  feat  of  light  \ 
All  that's  dark  (hall  leap  to  fight, 
Guilt,  the  fword  of  vengeance  fmite. 


What  can  I,  then,  wretched,  plead  ? 
Who  will  mediate  in  my  need 
When  the  juft  (hall  fcarce  fucceed  ? 


9° 


The  Dies  Ira, 


King  of  majefty  tremendous, 
Who  do  ft  tree  falvation  fend  us, 
Fount  of  pity  !   then  befriend  us  ! 


Think  !     Kind  Jefu,  my  ialvation 
Caus'd  Thy  wondrous  Incarnation  ; 
Leave  me  not  to  reprobation ! 


10. 

Faint  and  weary  Thou  haft  fought  me, 
On  the  Crofs  of  fuffering  bought  me  ; 
Shall  fueh  grace  be  vainly  brought  me  ! 


Righteous  Judge  of  retribution, 

Grant  Thy  gift  of  abfolution, 

Ere  that  reckoning  day's  conclufion  ! 


Hhe  Dies  Ira.  91 

8. 

King  majeftic  !   Sovereign  dread  ! 
Saving  all  for  whom  He  bled, 
Save  Thou  me  !   Salvation's  Head  ! 


Holy  Jefus  !  pricelefs  fray  ! 
Think  !   for  me  Thy  bleeding  way  ! 
Lofe  me  not,  upon  That  Day. 


10. 


Faint  and  weary,  Thou  haft  fought, 
By  the  Crofs,  my  crown  haft  bought  ; 
Can  fuch  anguifh  be  for  naught  ? 


11. 


Oh  !  avenging  Judge  fevere, 
Grant  remiffion,  full  and  clear, 
Ere  th'  accounting  day  appear. 


92  T^he  Dies  Ira. 


2. 


Guilty,  now  I  pour  my  moaning. 
All  my  fhame  with  anguifh  owning  ; 
Sparc,  O  God,  Thy  fuppliant,  groaning  ! 


'3- 

Thou,  the  finful  woman  faveft, 
Thou,  the  dying  thief  forgaveft  ; 
And  to  me  a  hope  vouchfafeft ! 


Worthlefs  are  my  pray'rs  and  fighing, 

Yet,  good  Lord,  in  grace  complying, 
Refcue  me  from  fires  undying  ! 


With  Thy  favor'd  fheep,  O  place  me  ! 
Nor  among  the  goats  abafe  me  ; 
But  to  Thy  right  hand  upraife  me. 


The  Dies  Ira.  93 


12. 


Like  a  guilty  thing  I  moan, 
Flufh'd  my  cheek,  my  fins  I  own, 
Hear,  O  God,  Thy  fuppliant's  groan  ! 


J3- 

Magdalen  found  grace  with  Thee, 
So  the  thief  upon  the  tree  ; 
Hope  Thou  giveft  e'en  to  me. 


Worthlefs  are  my  vows,  I  know, 
Yet,  dear  Lord,  Thy  pity  (how, 
Left  I  fink  in  endlefs  woe. 


15- 

From  the  goats  my  lot  divide, 
With  Thy  lambs  a  place  provide, 
On  Thy  right  and  near  Thy  fide. 


94  ^be  Dies  Ira. 

16. 

While  the  wicked  are  confounded, 
Doom'd  to  flames  of  woe  unbounded, 
Call  me  !  with  Thy  faints  furrounded. 


17- 

Low  I  kneel,  with  heart  fubmiflion  ; 
See,  like  allies,  my  contrition  ; 
Help  me,  in  my  laft  condition  ! 


18. 

Ah  !   that  Day  of  tears  and  mourning  ! 
From  the  duft  of  earth  returning, 
Man  for  judgment  mult  prepare  him  ; 
Spare  !    O  God,  in  mercy,  fpare  him  ! 

Lord,  who  didft  our  fouls  redeem, 
Grant  a  blefled  Requiem  !     Amen. 


Hhe  Dies  Ira.  g$ 

16. 

When  th'  accursed  fink  in  fhame, 
Given  to  tormenting  flame, 
With  Thy  bleffed  call  my  name. 


*7- 

Bowed  to  earth,  I  ftrive  in  prayer  j 
Heart  like  cinders,  fee,  I  bear; 
Its  laft  throbbing  be  Thy  care  ! 


18. 

Ah  !  That  Day  of  burning  tears, 
When  from  afhes  reappears 
Man  all  guilt,  his  doom  to  bear — 
Spare  him,  God  !  in  mercy,  spare  ! 


96  The  Stabat  Mater. 


THE    STABAT    MATER 


THE  Stabat  Mater,  with  the  Dies  Ires, 
pofTefTes  the  power  of  imparting  a  fhad- 
owy  impreflion  of  its  meaning  by  the  melody  01 
its  verfe.  Its  foft,  fad  cadence  echoes  the  feeling 
of  its  pathetic  words.  In  fame  it  ranks  next  to 
the  Dies  Ira,  yet  is  neither  fo  fimple  nor  fo 
grand  ;  nor  does  it  rife,  like  the  Great  Hymn, 
above  feclarian  faults.  It  has  attracted  the  fame- 
great  admiration,  and  been  praifed  and  repeated 
by  the  fame  great  admirers,  but  always  in  a 
lefler  degree.  As  the  Dies  Ira  has  been  pro- 
nounced the  greateft,  fo  the  Stabat  Mater 
universally  is  deemed  the  moll  pathetic  of 
hymns. 

The  life  of  its  author  was  in  fit  keeping  with 
its  plaintive  utterances.  He  was  born  at  Todi, 
of  the  noble  Italian  houfe  of  Benedette,  and 
rofe    to    diftin£Hon    as    a   jurift.      A   few   years 


The  Stabat  Mater.  97 

after  the  Dies  Ir<z  was  written  (1268),  he  loft 
his  wife,  and,  broken-hearted,  renounced  the 
world  to  join,  Jike  Thomas  of  Celano,  the 
Order  of  St.  Francis.  In  the  ardor  of  his  devo- 
tion, he  tried  to  atone  by  felf-fought  tortures 
not  only  for  his  own  fins,  but,  like  our  Saviour, 
for  the  fins  'of  others.  At  laft  his  forrows  fank 
into  infarity  and  ended  in  death. 

Dying  ?bout  the  time  that  Petrarch  was  born, 
and  "ivhile  'Dante  was  ftill  a  young  man,  his 
Can'j:e  Spiritual!  mark  the  dawning  .  day  of 
tbs  Italian  language.  In  an  old  Venetian 
copy  of  thefe,  the  hiftorian  of  the  Francif- 
cans  (Wadding)  found  a  number  of  Latin 
poems,  amongft  which  wras  the  Stabat  Mater, 
and  thus  eftablifhed  for  the  Order  of  St.  Francis 
the  honor  of  producing,  within  the  fame  cen- 
tury, the  two  moft  celebrated  of  Latin  hymns. 

When  the  firft  edition  of  this  book  was  pub- 
lifhed,  there  was  a  weaknefs  in  the  Englifh  ex- 
pofition  of  the  STABAT  MATER  which  no 
fearch  after  fitting  tranflations  could  cure,  and 
the  reader  was  warned  that  few  Englifh  verfions 
had   been   made,  and  not   one   that    ftri&ly  pre- 


98  The  Stabat  Muter. 

ferved  its  meafure.  That  of  Lord  Lindfay  was 
felecled,  and  is  ftill  retained,  as  bell:  expreffing 
the  pathos  of  the  original.  Since  then,  however, 
this  portion  of  our  literature  has  received  fuel) 
additions  as  will  render  the  expofition  of  the 
moft  pathetic  of  hymns  as  complete  as  it  probably 
ever  can  be  made. 

The  firft  of  thefe  new  verfions  is  by  the  accom- 
plifhed  foldier  whofe  verfion  of  the  Dies  Ira  pre- 
viously is  given.  The  fact  is  noticeable  that 
while  his  accurate  rhythmic  translation  of  the 
"  Great  Hymn  "  was  written  amidlt  the  din  of 
war,  and  while  its  author  was  on  duty  in  the  field, 
this  pathetic  verfion  of  the  STABAT  MATER 
lias  been  compofed  while  its  author  was  unrounded 
by  the  gayeties  of  the  French  capital,  and  engrofled 
in  his  duties  as  Minifter  Plenipotentiary,  In  a 
private  letter,  General  Dix  fays  : — 

"  As  I  proceeded,  I  could  not  but  think  under  how  much  more 
favorable  circumftances  than  mine  Jacobus  i>e  Benkdictis  mult 
have  written  the  immortal  hymn.  He  was  in  all  probability  (it- 
ting  in  his  narrow  cell,  the  external  world  entirely  (hut  out,  with 
nothing  before  him  bul  1  crucifix,  to  which  it  was  only  neceflary 
to  lift  his  <  yes  for  aid  when  he  felt  the  fpirit  of  inspiration  flag- 


Hhe  Stabat  Muter.  99 

ging.  On  the  other  hand,  I  was  compelled  to  write  in  a  Parifian 
faloon,  amid  the  glare  of  meretricious  gilding,  almoft  under  the 
lhadow  of  the  great  triumphal  arch — one  of  thofe  gigantic 
memorials  of  human  victories  which  for  the  caule  of  human  civil- 
ization had  much  better  be  forgotten  than  commemorated  ;  the 
canvas  on  the  walls  fwarming  with  young  fauns,  cupids,  and 
other  Pagan  devices. 

"  In  making  the  translation  I  kept  in  view  three  or  four  lead- 
ing objects  which  I  will  briefly  ftate. 

"  I.    An  inflexible  adherence  to  the  rhythm. 

"  2.  A  faithful  prefervation  of  every  thought  contained  in  the 
original. 

"  3.    A  vigorous  excluficn  of  every  thought  net  contained  in  it. 

"  4.  A  prefervation  as  far  as  pofTible,  of  the  tendernefs  of  feel- 
ing and  exprellion,  which  is  the  characteriftic  of  the  hymn." 

The  fecond  of  the  new  tranflations  is  by  that 
accomplifhed  author,  two  of  whole  remarkable 
renderings  of  the  Dies  Irce  already  enrich  this 
work.  Of  the  \erfion  now  given  a  diftinguifhed 
fcholar  favs,  "  The  Englifh  double  rhyme  rarelv 
exprefTes  the  melody  and  pathos  of  the  Latin. 
Dr.  Abraham  Coles,  of  Newark,  has  probablv 
beft  succeeded  in  a  faithful  rendering  of  the  Mater 
DoIorofa."—Dr.  Philip  Schaff. 

A  further  expofition  of  the  Stabat  Mater  is 
given  in  the  newly  found  companion-hymn,  Stabat 


ioo  The  Stabat  Mater. 

Mater  Speciofa,  with  its  translation,  the  laft  work 
of  Dr.  John  Mafon  Neale.  This  long-loft 
lyric  has  recently  been  introduced  to  American 
readers  by  Dr.  Schaff,  who  has  briefly  told  its 
ftory,  and  thus  admirably  analyzed  its  relation  to 
the  Stabat  Mater  : — 

"  While  the  latter  has  been  known  and  admired  for  nearly  five 
centuries,  the  former,  though  probably  as  old,  was  buried  in  ob- 
fcurity,  until  it  was  brought  to  light  in  our  day  by  A.  F.  Ozunam 
in  his  work  on  the  Francifcan  Poets,  and  in  the  improved  Ger- 
man edition  of  this  work  by  Julius,  with  an  admirable  translation 
of  the  hymn  by  Cardinal  Diepenbrock,  then  bilhop  of  Breflau. 
The  poem  has  alio  attracted  the  attencion  of  Englifh  hymnologifts, 
and  been  tranilated  lor  the  firft  time  into  Englifh  by  the  late  Dr. 
John  Mafon  Neale,  who  publifhed  the  original  Latin  with  the 
tranflation  a  few  days  before  his  death,  in  Auguft,  1866,  thus 
clofing  h'iM  ufeful  and  brilliant  hymnological  labors. 

The  Mater  Speciofa  and  the  Mater  Dolorofa  are,  apparently,  the 
produdt  of  the  dus.     They  are  companion-hymns,  and  re- 

femble  eaeii  other  like  twin  fitters.  The  Miter  I)  dorofa  was 
evidently  fuggefted  by  the  Scripture  fcene,  as  briefly  ftated  by  St. 
John,  Stabat  juxta  crucem  mater  ejus}  and  this  again,  fuggefted  the 
i  radle-hj  mn  as  a  countei  p  irt.  It  i  a  p  irallelifm  of  (  ontraft  whi(  h 
run  from  beginning  to  end.  The  Mai  r  Speciofa  is  a  Chriftmaa 
hymn,  and   finga  the   overflov  Marj  at    the  cradle   of 

the  new-born  Saviour,  The  Mater  Dolorofa  is  a  Good  Friday 
hymn,  and  finga  the  piercing  agony  of  Mary  at  the  crofs  of  her 


The  Stabat  Mater.  101 

divine  human  Son.  They  breathe  the  fame  love  to  Chrift,  and 
the  burning  defire  to  become  identified  with  Mary  by  fympathy  in 
the  intenfity  of  her  joy  as  in  the  intenfity  of  her  grief.  They  are 
the  fame  in  ftructure,  and  excel  alike  in  the  Angularly  touch- 
ing mufic  of  language,  and  the  foft  cadence  that  echoes  the  fenti- 
ment.  Both  confift  of  two  parts,  the  firft  of  which  defcribes  the 
objective  fituation ;  the  fecond  identifies  the  author  with  the 
fituation,  and  addreffes  the  Virgin  as  an  object  of  worfhip.  Both 
bear  the  imprefs  of  their  age  and  the  monaftic  order  which 
probably  gave  them  birth.  The  myfterious  charm  and  power  of 
the  two  hymns  are  due  to  the  subject  and  to  the  intenfity  of  feeling 
with  which  the  author  feized  it.  Mary  at  the  manger,  and  Mary 
at  the  crofs,  opens  a  vifta  to  -an  abyfs  of  joy  and  of  grief  fuch  as 
the  world  never  faw  before.  Mary  flood  there  not  only  as  the 
mother,  but  as  the  reprefentative  of  the  whole  Chriftian  church, 
for  which  the  eternal  Son  of  God  was  born  an  infant  in  the 
manger,  and  for  which  he  fuffered  the  moft  ignominious  death  on 
the  crofs. 


iu2  <Tbe  Stabat  Mater. 


STAB AT     MATER 


JACOBUS    DE    BENEDICTIS. 


STABAT  Mater  dolorofa, 
Juxta   crucem   lacrymofa, 
Dum   pendebat   filius. 
Cujus  animam  gemcntem, 
Contriitatam   et    dolentem, 
Pertranfivit  gladius. 

II. 

O  quam   triftis  et  affli£ta, 
Fuit  ilia  benedi&a 

Mater  unigeniti  ! 
Quae  moerebat  et  dolebat, 
Pia  mater,  dum   videbat 

Nati  pcenas  inclyti. 


<Tbe  Stabat  Mater.  103 


THE    STABAT    MATER. 


LORD    LINDSAY, 


BY  the  Crofs,  fad  vigil  keeping, 
Stood  the  mournful  mother  weeping, 
While  on  it  the  Saviour  hung ; 
In  that  hour  of  deep  diftrefs, 
Pierced  the  fword  of  bitternefs 

Through  her  heart  with  forrow  wrung. 


Oh  !  how  fad,  how  woe-begone 
Was  that  ever-bleffed  one, 

Mother  of  the  Son  of  God  ! 
Oh  !  what  bitter  tears  me  fried 
Whilft  before  her  Jesus  bled 

'Neath  the  Father's  penal  rod  ! 


104  The  Stabat  Mater. 

in. 

Quis  eft  homo  qui   non   fleret, 
Chrifti   matrem  fi  videret 

In  tanto  fupplicio  ? 
Quis  non  poffet  contriftari 
Piam   matrem   contemplari 

Dolentem   cum   filio  ? 

IV. 

Pro  peccatis  fuae  gentis, 
Vidit  Jefum   in  tormentis, 

Et   flagellis  fubditum. 
Vidit   fuum   dulcem   natum, 
Morientem,  defolatum, 

Dum   emifit   fpiritum. 

v. 

Eia  mater,  fons  amoris, 
Me  fentire  v  im  doloris 

Fac,  ut  tecum  lugeam. 
Far   ut   ardeat   cor   maim, 
In  amando  Chriftum   Deum 

Ut  illi  complaceam. 


Tbe  Stabat  Mater.  10  J 

3- 

Who's  the  man  could  view  unmoved 
Christ's  fweet  mother,  whom  He  loved, 

In  fuch  dire  extremitv  ? 
Who  his  pitving  tears  withhold, 
Christ's  fweet  mother  to  behold 

Sharing  in  His  agony  ? 

4- 
For  the  Father's  broken  law, 
Marv  thus  the  Saviour  faw 

Sport  of  human  cruelties — 
Saw  her  fweet,  her  only  Son, 
God-forfaken  and  undone, 

Die  a  finlefs  facrifice  ! 

5- 

Mary  mother,  fount  of  love, 
Make  me  (hare  thy  forrow,  move 

All  my  foul  to  fympathy  ! 
Make  my  heart  within  me  glow 
With  the  love  of  Jesus — fo 

Shall  I  find  acceptancy. 


ic6  Tbe  Stabat  Muter. 

VI. 

Sancla  Mater,  iftud  agas, 
Crucifixi   fige   plagas 

Cordi  meo  valide. 
Tiii   Nati   vulnerati, 
Tam  dignati  pro  me  pati, 

Poenas  mecum  divide, 

VII. 

Fac  me  vere  tecum   flere, 
Crucifixo  condolere, 

Donee   ego   vixero. 
Juxta  crucem   tecum   flare, 
Et  tibi  me  fociare 

In  planclu  defidero. 

VIII. 

Virgo  virginum   praeclara, 
Mihi  jam   non  (is  amara  •, 

Fac    me    tecum    plangere. 
Fac    Ut    portem  Chrifti    mortem 

PafHonis  fac  confortem, 
Et  plagas  recolere. 


The  Stabat  Muter.  1 07 


Print,  O  Mother,  on  my  heart, 
Deeply  print  the  wounds,  the  fmart 

Of  my  Saviour's  chaftifement ; 
He  who,  to  redeem  my  lofs, 
Deigned  to  bleed  upon  the  crofs — 

Make  me  fhare  His  punifhment, 

7- 
Ever  with  thee,  at  thv  fide, 
'Neath  the  Christ,  the  Crucified, 

Mournful  mother,  let  me  be  ! 
By  the  Crofs  fad  vigil  keeping, 
Ever  watchful,  ever  weeping, 

Thy  companion  conftantly  ! 

8. 

Maid  of  maidens,  undeflled, 
Mother  gracious,  mother  mild, 

Melt  my  heart  to  weep  with  thee  ! 
Crown  me  with  Christ's  thorny  wreath, 
Make  me  confort  of  His  death, 

Sharer  of  His  victory. 


108  The  Stabat  Muter, 

IX. 

Fac  me  plagis  vulnerari, 
Fac   me   cruce   inebriari, 

Et  cruore  filii. 
Inflammatus  et  accenlus, 
Per  te,  Virgo,  fim  defenfus. 

In  die  judicii. 


Fac  me  cruce  cuitodiri, 
Morte  ChrifH  praemuniri, 

Confoveri  gratia. 
Qiiando   corpus    morietur, 
Fac  ut  animae  donetur 

Paradifi  gloria. 


Tbe  Stakit  Muter.  109 

9- 
Never  from  the  mingled  tide 
Flowing  (till  from  Jesus'  fide, 

May  my  lips  inebriate  turn  ; 
And  when  in  the  day  of  doom, 
Lightning-like  He  rends  the  tomb, 

Shield,  oh  fhield  me,  left  I  burn  ! 

10. 

So  the  fhadow  of  the  tree 
Where  thy  Jesus  bled  for  me 

Still  fhall  be  my  fortalice  ; 
So  when  flefh  and  fpirit  fever 
Shall  I  live,  thy  boon,  for  ever 

In  the  joys  of  Paradife  ! 


HO  The  Stabat  Mater 


STABAT     MATER 


GENERAL    DIX. 


I. 

NEAR  the  Crofs  the  Saviour  bearing 
Stood  the  mother  lone,  defpairing, 
Bitter  tears  down  falling  fa  ft. 
Wearied  was  her  heart  with  grieving, 
Worn  her  bread  with  for  row  heaving, 
Through  her  foul  the  fword  had  pailed. 


Ah  !   how  fad  and  broken-hearted 
Was  that  blefled  mother,  parted 

From  the  God-begotten  One! 
How  her  loving  heart  did  languifh 
When  (he  law  the  mortal  anguifh 

Which  o'erwhelmed  her  peerlefs  Son. 


Hhe  Stabat  Mater,  ill 


STABAT    MATER 


DR.    COLES. 


I. 


STOOD  the  afflicted  mother  weeping 
Near  the  crofs  her  ftation  keeping 
Whereon  hung  her  Son  and  Lord  ; 
Through  whofe  fpirit  fympathizing, 
Sorrowing  and  agonizing 
Alio  pafled  the  cruel  fword. 


Oh  !  how  mournful  and  diftrefled 
Was  that  favored  and  moft  blefled 

Mother  of  the  only  Son  ! 
Trembling,  grieving,  bofom  heaving, 
While  perceiving,  fcarce  believing, 

Pains  of  that  Illuftrious  One. 


112  Hhe  Stabat  Mater 


Who  could  witnefs  without  weeping 
Such  a  flood  of  forrow  fweeping 

O'er  the  ftricken  mother's  breaf}  ? 
Who  contemplate  without  being 
Moved  to  kindred  grief  by  feeing 

Son  and  mother  thus  oppreiTed  ? 


For  our  fins  (he  faw  Him  bending 
And  the  cruel  lafh  defcending 

On  His  body  ftripped  and  bare  ; 
Saw  her  own  dear  Jefus  (King, 
Heard  His  fpirit's  lair,  out-crying 

Sharp  with  anguifh  and  defpair. 


Gentle  Mother,  love's  pure  fountain  ! 
("all,  oh  '    caft  on  me  the  mountain 

Of  thy  grief  that  I  may  weep  ; 
I  it  i7\y  heart  with  ardor  burning, 
Chrift's  unbounded  love  returning, 

His  rich  favor  win  and  keep. 


The  Stabat  Mater.  113 


Who  the  man,  who,  called  a  brother, 
Would  not  weep,  (aw  he  Chrift's  mother 

In  fuch  deep  diftrefs  and  wild  ? 
Who  could  not  fad  tribute  render 
Witnefling  that  mother  tender 

Agonizing  with  her  child  ? 

4- 

For  His  people's  fins  atoning, 
Him  fhe  faw  in  torments  groaning, 

Given  to  the  fcourger's  rod  ; 
Saw  her  darling  offspring  dying, 
Defolate,  forfaken,  crying, 

Yield  His  fpirit  up  to  God. 

5« 

Make  me  feel  thy  forrow's  power, 
That  with  thee  I  tears  may  mower, 

Tender  mother,  fount  of  love  ! 
Make  my  heart  with  love  unceafing 
Burn  toward  Chrift  the  Lord,  that  pleafing 

I  may  be  to  Him  above. 


1 14  Hhe  Stabat  Mater, 

6. 

Holy  Mother,  be  thy  ftudy 

Chrift's  dear  image  fcarred  and  bloody 

To  enfhrine  within  my  heart ! 
Martyred  Son  !   whofe  grace  has  fet  me 
Free  from  endlefs  death,  oh  !   let  me 

Of  Thy  fufferings  bear  a  part. 


Mother,  let  our  tears  commingle, 
Be  the  crucifix  my  fingle 

Sign  of  forrow  while  I  live  : 
Let  me  by  the  Crofs  ftand  near  thee, 
There  to  fee  thee,  there  to  hear  thee, 

For  each  figh  a  figh  to  give. 

8. 

Pureft  of  the  Virgins  !   turn  not 
Thy  difpleafure  on  me — fpurn  not 

My  defire  to  weep  with  thee. 
Let  me  live  Chrift's  paflion  (baring, 
All  His  wounds  and  follows  bearing 

In  my  tearful  memory. 


Hhe  Stabat  Mater.  115 

6. 

Holy  mother,  this  be  granted, 

That  the  flain  one's  wounds  be  planted 

Firmly  in  my  heart  to  bide. 
Of  Him  wounded,  all  aftounded — 
Depths  unbounded  for  me  founded, 

All  the  pangs  with  me  divide. 


Make  me  weep  with  thee  in  union  ; 
With  the  Crucified,  communion 

In  His  grief  and  fuffering  give  ; 
Near  the  crofs  with  tears  unfailing 
I  would  join  thee  in  thy  wailing 

Here  as  long  as  I  mail  live. 

8. 

Maid  of  maidens,  all  excelling  ! 
Be  not  bitter,  me  repelling, 

Make  thou  me  a  mourner  too  ; 
Make  me  bear  about  Chrift's  dying, 
Share  His  paffion,  fhame  defying, 

All  His  wounds  in  me  renew. 


n6  The  Stabat  Mater. 


Be,  ye  wounds,  my  tribulation  ! 
Be,  thou  Crofs,  my  infpiration  ! 

Mark,  O  blood,  my  Heaven-ward  wav. 
Thus  to  fervor  rapt,  O  tender 
Virgin,  be  thou  my  defender 

In  the  dreadful  Judgment  Day. 

10. 

With  the  Crofs  my  faith  I'll  cherifh  ; 
By  Chrift's  death  fuftained  I'll  perifh, 

Through  His  grace  again  to  rife. 
Come  then,  Death,  this  body  fealing, 
To  my  ranfomed  foul  revealing 

Glorious  days  in  Paradife. 


The  Stabat  Mater.  117 


Wound  for  wound  be  there  created  ; 
With  the  crofs  intoxicated 

For  thy  Son's  dear  fake,  I  pray — 
May  I,  fired  with  pure  affection, 
Virgin,  have  through   thee  protection 

In  the  folemn  Judgment  Day. 

10. 

Let  me  by  the  Crofs  be  warded, 
By  the  death  of  Chrift  be  guarded, 

Nourifhed  by  divine  iupplies. 
When  the  body  death  hath  riven, 
Grant  that  to  the  foul  be  given 

Glories  bright  of  Paradife. 


Il8  "the  Stabat  Mater. 


MATER    SPECIOSA 


JACOBUS    DE    BENEDICTIS. 


STABAT  Mater  fpeciofa 
Juxta  foenum  gaudiofa, 
Dum  jacebat  parvulus  ; 
Cujus  animam  gaudentem 
Lactabundam  ac  ferventem 
Pertranfivit  jubilus.    • 

ii. 

C)  quam  laeta  et  beata 
Fuit  ilia  immaculata 

Mater  (Jnigeniti  ! 
Quae  gaudebat  et  rick-bat, 
Exultabat,  rum  videbat 

Nati  partum  inclyti. 


The  Stabat  Mater.  119 


MATER    SPECIOSA 


DR.    NEALE. 


I. 


FULL  of  beauty  flood  the  mothel 
By  the  manger,  bleft  o'er  other, 
Where  her  little  one  fhe  lays: 
For  her  inmoft  foul's  elation, 
In  its  fervid  jubilation, 

Thrills  with  ecftafy  of  praife. 

2. 

Oh  !   what  glad,  what  rapturous  feeling 
Filled  that  blefTed  mother,  kneeling 

By  the  Sole-Begotten  One  ! 
How,  her  heart  with  laughter  bounding, 
She  beheld  the  work  aftounding, 

Saw  His  birth,  the  glorious  Son. 


120  tte  Stabat  Mater. 

in. 

Quis  jam  eft,  qui  non  gauderet 
Chrifti  matrem  fi  videret 

In  tanto  folatio  ? 
Ouis  non  poflet  collaetari, 
Chrifti  matrem  contemplari 

Ludentem  cum  nlio  ? 


IV. 

Pro  peccatis  fine  gentis 
Chriftum  vidit  cum  jumentis 

Et  algori  fubditum  ; 
Vidit  fuum  dulcem  natum 
Vagientem,  adoratum 

Vili  diverforio. 


Nato  Chrifto  in  praefepe 
Coeli  cives  canunt  laete 

Cum  immenfo  gaudio ; 
Stabat  fenex  cum  puella 
Non  cum  verbo  nee  loquela 

Stupefcentes  cordibus 


"The  Stabat  Mater.  121 

3- 

Who  is  he,  that  fight  who  beareth, 
Xor  Chrift's  mother's  folace  (hareth 

In  her  bofom  as  He  lay  : 
Who  is  he  that  would  not  render 
Tend'reft  love  for  love  fo  tender, 

Love,  with  that  dear  babe  at  play  r 


For  the  trefpafs  of  her  nation 
She  with  oxen  faw  His  ftation 
Subjected  to  cold  and  woe  ; 

Saw  her  fweeteft  offspring's  wailing, 
Wife  men  Him  with  worfhip  hailing, 
In  the  {table,  mean  and  low. 

5- 

Jefus  lying  in  the  manger, 
Heavenlv  armies  fang  the  fti anger, 

In  the  great  joy-bearing  part  ; 
Stood  the  old  man  with  the  maiden, 
No  words  fpeaking,  only  laden 

With  this  wonder  in  their  heart. 


122  "The  Stab  at  Mater. 

VI. 

Eja  mater,  fons  amoris, 
Me  fentire  vim  ardoris, 

Fac  ut  tecum  fentiam  ! 
Fac  ut  ardeat  cor  meum 
In  amatum  Chriftum  Deums 

Ut  fibi  complaceam. 

VII. 

Santla  mater,  iftud  agas, 
Prone  introducas  plagas 

Cordi  fixas  valide. 
Tui  nati  coelo  lapfi, 
Jam  dignati  foeno  nafci 

Poenas  mecum  divide. 

VIII. 

Fac  me  vcre  congaudere, 
Jefulino  cohaerere 

Donee  ego  vixero. 
In  me  fiftat  ardor  tui  ■> 
Puerino  fac  me  frui 

Dum  fum  in  exilio. 
Hunc  ardorem  fac  communem, 
Ne  me  tacias  immunem 

Ab  hoc  deiideiio. 


The  Stabat  Mater.  123 

6. 
Mother,  fount  of  love  ftill  flowing, 
.Let  me,  with  thy  rapture  glowing, 

Learn  to  fympathize  with  thee  : 
Let  me  raife  my  heart's  devotion 
Up  to  Chrift  with  pure  emotion, 

That  accepted  I  may  be. 

7- 
Mother,  let  me  win  this  bleffing, 
Let  His  forrow's  deep  impreffing 

In  my  heart  engraved  remain  : 
Since  thy  Son,  from  heaven  defcending, 
Deigned  to  bear  the  manger's  tending, 

Oh  !  divide  with  me  His  pain. 

8. 
Keep  my  heart  its  gladnefs  bringing, 
To  my  Jefus  ever  clinging 

Long  as  this  my  life  fhall  laft  ; 
Love  like  that  thine  own  love,  give  it> 
On  my  little  child  to  rivet, 

Till  this  exile  mall  be  paft. 
Let  me  mare  thine  own  affii&ion  ; 
Let  me  fuffer  no  rejection 

Of  my  purpofe  fixed  and  faft. 


124  We  Stabat  Mater. 

IX. 

Virgo  virginum  praeclara, 
Mihi  jam  non  fis  amara  ; 

Fac  me  parvum  rapere  ; 
Fac  ut  pulchrum  fantem  portem, 
Qui  nafcendo  vicit  mortem, 

Volens  vitam  tradere. 

x. 

Fac  me  tecum  fatiari, 
Nato  me  inebriari, 

Stans  inter  tripudio. 
Inflammatus  et  accenfus 
Obftupcfcit  omnis  fenfus 

Tali  de  commcrcio. 

XI. 

Omnes  ftabulum  amantes, 
Et  paftores  vigilantes 

Perno&antes  fociant. 
Per  virtutem  nati  tui 
Ora  ut  ele&i  sui 

Ad  patriam  variant. 


The  Stabat  Mater.  125 


Virgin,  peerlefs  of  condition, 
Be  not  wroth  with  my  petition, 

Let  me  clafp  thy  little  Son  ; 
Let  me  bear  that  child  fo  glorious, 
Him,  whofe  birth,  o'er  death  victorious, 

Willed  that  life  for  man  was  won. 

10. 

Let  me,  fatiate  with  mv  pleafure, 
Feel  the  rapture  of  thy  treafure 

Leaping  for  that  joy  intenfe  : 
That,  inflamed  by  fuch  communion, 
Through  the  marvel  of  that  union 

I  may  thrill  in  every  fenfe. 

11. 

All  that  love  this  ftable  truly, 
And  the  fhepherds  watching  duly, 

Tarry  there  the  livelong  night : 
Pray  that,  bv  thy  Son's  dear  merit, 
His  elected  may  inherit 

Their  own  country's  endlefs  light. 


11 5  -fhe  rein  Sa/ic/c. 


THE    VENI    SANCTE    SPIRITUS. 


IN  the  year  997,  "  whilft  the  priefthood  ftrug- 
"gled  to  regain  through  their  anathemas  the 
"  property  that  had  been  taken  from  them  by 
tc  violence,  a  young  man,  who  knew  neither  to 
"  threaten  nor  to  lie,  nor  to  infpire  others  with 
"  fear,  fucceeded  to  the  royal  dignity  which  his 
"  father  had  ufurped.  It  was  Robert,  only  fon 
"of  Hugh  Capet." — Sifmojidi,  Hi//.  Francois, 

This  King,  "there  is  no  good  reafon  to 
tc  doubt"  (Konigsfeld))  was  the  author  of  the 
Vkni  Sancte  Spiritus,  a  hymn  that  the  lull 
living  authority  regards  as  "the  lovelieft  of  all 
"  tin-  hymns  in  the  whole  circle  of  Latin  facred 
"  poetry."  -    Trench. 

The  ability  of  Robert  II.  to  have  compofed 
the  hymn  which  ranks  next  to  the  Dies  Ira-  and 


l^he  Feni  Sancre.  12 


Stabat  Mater,  is  not  improbable,  for,  according 
to  the  chronicle  of  Saint  Bertin,  he  was  a  faint, 
a  poet,  and  a  mufician  : 

"  Robert  etoit  tres-pieux,  prudent,  lettre,  et  fuffifamment  phi- 
"lofophe,  mais  furtout  excellent  muficien.  II  compofa  la  profe 
"  du  Saint-Efprit,  qui  commence  par  ces  mots,  Adfu  nobis  gratia, 
"  les  rhythmes,  Jud#  et  Hierufa/etn,  et  Cornelius  Centurio,  qu'il 
"  offrit  a  Rome  fur  l'autel  de  Saint-Pierre,  notes  avec  le  chant 
"  qui  leur  etoit  propre,  de  mime  que  Fantiphone  Eripe,  et  plu- 
"  fieurs  autres  beaux  morceaux." 

The  tranflation  which  is  here  given  is  from 
the  Lyra  Germanica  of  Catherine  Winkworth. 
That  work  profeffes  to  be  translated  from  the 
German  ;  but  its  verfion  of  the  Veni  Sancte 
Spiritus  is  a  finer  tranflation  than  any  that  pro- 
fefles  to  be  from  the  Latin. 

The  only  alteration  which  has  been  made  in 
the  text  is  the  firfr.  word  of  the  Englifh  verfion. 
As  there  was  no  reafon  for  rendering  the  Latin 
verb  by  the  Englifh  interjection  "  O,"  it  is  pre- 
fumed  that  this  was  an  unintended  error  of  the 
ufually  faithful  and  fcrupulous  tranflator. 


128  Voe  Veni  Santte. 


VENI    SANCTE     SPIRITUS. 


ROBERT    II. 


I. 


I7ENI,  San£te   Spiritus, 

^        Et  emitte  coelitus, 
Lucis  tuae  radium. 


II. 

Veni,  pater  pauperum, 
Veni,  dator  munerum, 

Veni,   lumen   cordium. 

in. 

Confolator  optime, 
Dulcis  hofpes  animae, 
Dule -:  refrieerium. 


The  Feni  Santte.  129 


THE    VENI    SANCTE    SPIRITUS. 


CATHERINE    WINKWORTH. 


COME,  Holy  Ghoft  !   Thou  fire  divine  ! 
From  higheft  heaven  on  us  down  fhine  ! 
Comforter,  be  Thy  comfort  mine  ! 


Come,  Father  of  the  poor,  to  earth  ; 
Come  with  Thy  gifts  of  precious  worth  5 
Come,  Light  of  all  of  mortal  birth  ! 

3- 

Thou  rich  in  comfort  !     Ever  bleft 

The  heart  where  Thou  art  confHnt  gueft, 

Who  giv'ft  the  heavy-laden  reft. 


130  ^he  Veni  Sanffe. 


In  labore  requies, 
In  aeftu  temperies, 
In  fletu  folatium. 

v. 

O   lux   beatiffima  ! 
Reple  cordis  intima, 
Tuorum  fidelium. 


VI. 

Sine  tuo  numine, 
Nihil  eft   in   homine, 
Nihil   eft   innoxium. 


VII. 

Lava  quod   eft   fordidum, 
Riga  quod  eft  aridum, 
Sana  (juod  eft  (aucium. 


The  Veni  Sanfte.  131 


Come  Thou  in  whom  our  toil  is  fweet, 
Our  fhadow  in  the  noon-day  heat, 
Before  whom  mourning  flieth  fleet. 


Bright  Sun  of  Grace  !     Thy  funfhine  dart 
On  all  who  cry  to  Thee  apart, 
And  fill  with  gladnefs  every  heart. 


Whate'er  without  Thy  aid  is  wrought, 
Or  fkilful  deed,  or  wife!!  thought, 
God  counts  it  vain  and  merely  naught. 

7- 

O  cleanfe  us  that  we  fin  no  more, 
O'er  parched  fouls  Thy  waters  pour  ; 
Heal  the  fad  heart  that  acheth  fore. 


1^2  Tbe  P*eni  Suncie. 


VIII. 


Fleece  quod  eft  rigidum, 
Fove  quod  eft  frigidum, 
Rege  quod   eft  devium. 


IX. 


Da  tuis  fidelibus, 
In  te  confidentibus, 
Sacrum   feptenarium. 


Da   virtutis  meritum, 
Da  falutis  exitum, 
Da  perenne  gaudium. 


The  Feni  Sancle.  133 

8. 

Thy  will  be  ours  in  all  our  ways  ; 
O  melt  the  frozen  with  Thy  rays  ; 
Call  home  the  loft  in  error's  maze. 

9- 

And  grant  us,  Lord,  who  cry  to  Thee, 
And  hold  the  Faith  in  unity, 
Thy  precious  gifts  of  charity. 


10. 

That  we  may  live  in  holinefs, 
And  find  in  death  our  happinefs, 
And  dwell  with  Thee  in  lafting  blifs 


]3  1-  ^he  Veni  Creator. 


THE   VENI    CREATOR    SPIRITUS. 


"/CHARLEMAGNE,  reclame  par  l'Eglife 
V_^  comme  un  faint,  par  les  Francais  comme 
"  leur  plus  grand  roi,  par  les  Allemands  comme 
"  leur  compatriote,  par  les  Italicns  comme  leur 
u  empereur,"  is  the  reputed  author  of  this 
Latin  h\mn.  Men  naturally  prefer  to  trace  a 
venerable  and  renowned  compofition  to  an  un- 
expected authorfhip,  and  to  find  the  refinement 
(A  letters  in  thofe  otherwife  diftinguifhed  ;  ftill 
mote,  to  difcover  in  a  great  foldier  and  a  great 
king  the  doubly  refined  gift  of  facred  poetry. 
it  is  not  impoflible.  "The  eloquence  of  Char- 
"  lemagne,"  (ays  his  Secretary,  "was  abundant. 
"  He  was  able  to  exprefs  with  facility  all  he 
"wifhedj  and,  not  content  with  his  mother- 
lt  tongue,  he  bellowed  great  pains  upon  foreign 
"  languages.       1  le  had  taken  fo  well  to  the  Latin, 

DO  ' 

lt  that  he  was  able   to   ("peak   publicly  in  that  Ian- 


'■The  J' cut    Creator.  1 3 J 

"  guage  almoft  as  eafilv  as  in  his  own.  He 
"  underftood  Greek,  and  ftudied  Hebrew." 

There  remains  of  his  mufe  an  epitaph  on 
Adrian  I.,  in  thirty-eight  verfes ;  the  Song  of 
Roland ,  an  ode  to  the  fcholar  Warnefride,  and 
an  epigram  in  hexameter  verfe.  This  epigram 
was  found  in  a  manufcript  containing  a  com- 
mentary on  the  Epiftle  to  the  Romans,  attributed 
to  Origen,  and  corrected  in  the  hand  of  Char- 
lemagne. The  fubject  of  the  hymn  feems  alio 
to  have  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Emperor, 
for  there  is  a  letter  by  him  addreffed  to  his 
bifhops,  entitled  De  gratia  feptiformis  Spiritus. 
He  died  at  Aix-la-Chapelle,  his  crown  upon  his 
head,  and  his  copy  of  the  Gofpels  upon  his 
knees,  January  28,  814, 

The  Englifh  verfion  of  the  hymn  is  the  para- 
phrafe  of  Dryden,  of  which  Warton  fays  :  "  This 
"  is  a  moft  elegant  and  beautiful  little  morfel, 
"and  one  of  his  moft  correct  compositions." 
There  is  a  tranflation  in  the  Prayer  Book  ( Or- 
dering of  Priefts)  which  is  noteworthy,  as  being 
the  only  Breviary  hymn  retained  by  the  Epifco- 
pal  Church. 


\q6  ^he  Veni  Creator. 


VENI    CREATOR    SPIRITUS. 

CHARLEMAGNE. 

VENI,  Creator  Spiritus, 
Mentes   tuorum   vifita, 
Imple   fuperna   gratia, 
Quae  tu   creafti   pecl:ora. 

Qui   diceris  Paraclitus, 
Altiflimi   donum   Dei, 
Fons  vivus,   ignis,   charitas, 
Et   fpiritalis   un&io. 

Tu  feptiformis  munere, 
Digitus  Paternae  dexterae, 
Tu  rite  promiflum   Patris, 
Sermone  ditans  guttura. 

Acceiule  lumen  fenfibus, 
Infmule  amorem  cordibus, 
Infirma  noftri  corporis 
Virtute  firmans  perpeti. 


the  Feni  Creator.  137 


THE    VENI    CREATOR    SPIRITUS. 

DRYDEN. 

CREATOR   Spirit,  by  whofe  aid 
The  world's  foundations  firft  were  laid, 
Come  vifit  every  pious  rnind, 
Come  pour  Thy  joys  on  human  kind  ; 
From  fin  and  forrow  fet  us  free, 
And  make  Thy  temples  worthy  Thee. 

O  source  of  uncreated  light, 
The  Father's  promifed  Paraclete  ! 
Thrice  holy  fount,  thrice  holy  fire, 
Our  hearts  with  heavenly  love  infpire  ; 
Come,  and  Thy  facred  unction  bring, 
To  fan&ify  us  while  we  fing. 

Plenteous  of  grace,  defcend  from  high, 

Rich  in  Thy  fevenfold  energy  ! 

Thou  ftrength  of  His  almighty  hand, 

Whofe  power  does  heaven  and  earth  command. 

Proceeding  Spirit,  our  defence, 

Who  doft  the  gifts  of  tongues  difpenfe, 

And  crown'ft  Thy  gift  with  eloquence  ! 


l38  The  Feni  Creator. 

Hoftem  repellas  longius, 
Pacemque  dones  protiniis  : 
Du£tore  fie  te  prasvio 
Vitemus  omne  noxium. 

Per  te  fciamus  da  Patrem, 
Nofcamus  atque  Filium  ; 
Teque   utriufque   Spiritum 
Credamus  omni    tempore. 

Deo   Patri   fit  gloria 
Et   Filio   qui   a   mortuis 
Surrexit,  ac   Paraclito, 
In  feculorum  faecula. 


tfbe  Feni  Creator.  *39 

Refine  and  purge  our  earthly  parts  ; 
But,  oh,  inflame  and  fire  our  hearts  ! 
Our  frailties  help,  our  vice  control, 
Submit  the  fenfes  to  the  foul  \ 
And  when  rebellious  they  are  grown, 
Then  lay  Thy  hand  and  hold  'em  down. 

Chase  from  our  minds  th'  infernal  foe, 
And  peace  the  fruit  of  love  beftow  ; 
And  left  our  feet  fhould  ftep  aftray, 
Protect  and  guide  us  on  the  way. 

Make  us  eternal  truths  receive, 
And  pra6tife  all  that  we  believe  ; 
Give  us  Thyfelf,  that  we  may  fee 
The  Father  and  the  Son  by  Thee. 

Immortal  honor,  endlefs  fame, 
Attend  the  Almighty  Father's  name  : 
The  Saviour  Son  be  glorified, 
Who  for  loft  man's  redemption  died  ; 
And  equal  adoration  be, 
Eternal  Paraclete,  to  Thee. 


140  Hhe  Vexilla  Regis, 


THE    VEXILLA    REGIS. 


THE  Vexilla  Regis  was  written  about 
the  year  580 — two  hundred  years  before 
the  time  of  Charlemagne,  and  feven  hundred 
years  before  the  birth  of  the  Englifh  language. 
It  is  therefore  one  of  the  oldeit  of  mediaeval 
hymns. 

Venantius  Fortunatus,  an  Italian,  whofe  birth- 
place is  unknown,  was  in  early  life  a  citizen  of 
Ravenna,  from  which  he  was  driven  by  the 
great  invafion  of  the  Lombards.  He  palled  into 
France,  and  became  the  fafhionable  poet  of  his 
time.  Subfequently  he  devoted  his  talents  to  a 
holier    object,   and    became    the    friend    of    Saint 

Radegunde  and  Saint  Gregory.     He  removed  to 

Tours,    was   made    Bifhop   of  Poitiers,   and   died 
about  the  \ car  600. 


The  Vexilla  Regis.  H1 

"  This  world-famous  hymn,  one  of  the  grand- 
eft  in  the  treafury  of  the  Latin  Church,  was 
compofed  by  Fortunatus  on  occafion  of  the 
reception  of  certain  relics  by  Saint  Gregory  of 
Tours  and  Saint  Radegunde,  previoufly  to  the 
confecration  of  a  church  at  Poitiers.  It  is 
therefore  ftrictly  and  primarily  a  proceflional 
hymn,  though,  very  naturally,  afterwards  adapted 
to  Paflion-tide." — Mediceval  Hymns. 

"  C'eft  de  Fortunat  qu'eft  le  Vexilla  Regis 
compofe,  a  l'occafion  du  morceau  de  la  vraie 
croix,  envoye  par  Pempereur  Juftin  a  St.  Rade- 
gonde." — Blographie  Univerfelle. 

The  laft  two  verfes  were  added  when  the 
hymn  was  appropriated  to  Paflion-tide.  The 
ending  of  Fortunatus  is  this  : 

"  With  fragrance  dropping  from  each  bough, 
Sweeter  than  fweeteft  ne&ar  thou  : 
Decked  with  the  fruit  of  peace  and  praife, 
And  glorious  with  Triumphal  lays : — 

"  Hail,  Altar  !   Hail,  O  Vidim  !   Thee 
Decks  now  Thy  Paflion's  Victory ; 
Where  Life  for  finners  death  endured, 
And  life  by  death  for  man  procured." 


142  <fbe  Vexilla  Regis. 


VEXILLA     REGIS 


FORTUNATUS. 


VEXILLA  regis  prodeunt, 
Fulget  crucis  myfterium, 
Quo  carne  carnis  conditor 
Sufpenfus  eft  patibulo. 

ii. 

Quo  vulneratus  infuper 
Mucrone  diro  lanceae, 
Ut  nos  lavarct  crimine 
Manavit  unda  (anguine. 

in. 

Implcta  funt  quae  concinit 
David  fideli  carmine 
Dicens  :    In   nationibus 
Regnavit  a  ligno  Deus. 


^he  Vexilla  Regis.  143 


THE    VEXILLA    REGIS. 

DR.     NEALE. 
I. 

THE  Royal  Banners  forward  go; 
The  Crofs  fhines  forth  in  mvfticglow; 
Where  He  in  flefh,  our  flefh  who  made, 
Our  fentence  bore,  our  ranfom  paid. 

2. 

Where  deep  for  us  the  fpear  was  dy'd, 
Life's  torrent  rufhing  from  His  fide, 
To  wafh  us  in  that  precious  flood 
Where  mingled  water  flow'd,  and  blood. 

3- 

Fulfill'd  is  all  that  David  told 

In  true  prophetic  fong  of  old  ; 

Amidfi:  the  nations  God,  faith  he, 

Hath  reign'd  and  triumph'd  from  the  Tree. 


144  tte  Vexilla  Regis. 

IV. 

Arbor  decora  et   fulgida, 
Ornata  regis  purpura, 
Electa  digno   ftipite 
Tarn  fancla  membra  tangere0 

v. 

Beata   cujus  brachiis 
Pretium   pependit   faeculi, 
Statera  facia  faeculi 
Prsedamque  tulit  tartaris. 

VI. 

O  crux  ave,  fpes  unica  ! 
Hoc  paflionis  tempore, 
Auge  piis  inftitiam 
Reifque  dona  veniam. 

VII. 

Te  fumma  Dens  Trinitas 
Collaudet  omnis  fpiritus 
Quas  per  cruris  nn  (terium 
Salvas,   rege  per  faecula, 


^ibs  V 'ex ilia  Regis.  145 

4- 
O  Tree  of  Beauty  !    Tree  of  Light  ! 
O  Tree  with  royal  purple  dight  ! 
Elecf  on  whofe  triumphal  breaft 
Thofe  holy  limbs  fhould  find  their  reft  ! 

5- 

On  whofe  dear  arms,  fo  widely  flung, 


The  weight  of  this  world's  ranfon  ^»i 


^Z 


The  price  of  human  kind  to  pay, 
And  fpoil  the  Spoiler  of  his  prey. 

6. 

O  Crofs,  our  one  reliance,  hail  ! 
This  holy  Paffion-tide,  avail 
To  give  frefh  merit  to  the  faint, 
And  pardon  to  the  penitent. 

7- 

To  Thee,  Eternal  Three  in  One, 
Let  homage  meet  by  all  be  done  ; 
Whom  bv  the  Crofs  Thou  doff  reftore, 
Preferve  and  govern  evermore. 


146  The  Alleluiatic  Sequence, 


THE     ALLELUIATIC     SEQUENCE. 


THIS  famous  Sequence,  which  may  be  re- 
garded as  the  parent  of  every  Hallelujah 
Chorus  that  has  been  written  fince,  was  com- 
pofed  by  Godefcalcus,  prior  to  the  year  950 — the 
year  of  his  death.  The  little  that  is  known  of 
him  is  given  by  his  tranflator. 

"There  is  only  oik-  thing,"  fays  Dr.  Neale, 
"  with  refpeel  to  tin-  life  of  any  of  my  hymns  that 
has  grieved  me — the  rejection  of  the  noble  mel- 
ody of  the  Alleluiatic  Sequence,  and  that  for 
a  third-rate  chant.  What  would  be  (aid  of  chant- 
ing the  Dies  Ira  ?  And  yet  I  really  believe 
that  it  would  differ  lefs  than  does  the  CaNTEMUS 
CUNCTI  by  fuch  a  fubftitution,  Further,  be  it 
noticed,  every  fentence — I  had  almoft  (aid  every 


The  Alleluia  tic  Sequence,  H/ 

word — of  the  verfion  was  carefully  fitted  to  the 
mufic,  and  the  length  of  the  lines  correfponds  to 
the  length  of  each  troparion  in  the  original." 

w  If  it  be  faid  that  the  original  melody  is  diffi- 
cult, I  can  onlv  reply  that  I  have  frequently 
heard  it  fung  bv  a  choir  of  children,  of  ages 
varying  from  four  to  fourteen  ;  and  never  more 
prettily  than  when,  without  any  accompaniment 
at  all,  in  the  open  fields — the  very  fmall  ones 
joining  in  for  the  greater  part  with  the  whole  of 
their  little  energy." — Me di aval  Hymns. 


148  The  Alleluiatic  Sequence. 


CANTEMUS    CUNCTI. 


GODESCALCUS. 


C 


ANTEMUS  cuncti  melodum  nunc 

Alleluia. 

11.   In  laudibus  aeterni  regis  Ikcc  plebs  reful- 
tet  Alleluia. 


hi.  Hoc  denique  coeleftes  chori  cantcnt  in 
altum  Alleluia. 

iv.  Hoc  beatorum  per  prata  paradifiaca  pfallat 
concentus  Alleluia. 

v.  Quin  et  aftrorum  micantia  h. miliaria  jubi- 
lent  altum  Alleluia, 

vi.  Nuhium  curfus,  ventorum  volatus,  ful- 
gurum  coruscatio  et  tonitruum  fo 
nitus  dulce  confonent  fimul 

Alleluia. 


The  Alleluiatic  Sequence.  149 


THE    ALLELUIATIC    SEQUENCE. 


DR.    NEALE. 


THE  ftrain  upraife  of  joy  and  praife,  Alleluia. 
2.   To  the  glory  of  their  King 

Shall  the  ranfom'd  people  fing  Alleluia. 

3.  And  the  Choirs  that  dwell  on  high 

Shall  re-echo  through  the  fky  Alleluia. 

4.  They  through  the  fields  of  Paradife  that  roam, 
The  blefTed  ones,  repeat  through  that  bright 

home  Alleluia. 

5.  The  planets  glitt'ring  on  their  heavenly  way, 
The  mining  conftellations,  join,  and  fay 

Alleluia. 

6.  Ye  clouds  that  onward  fweep  ! 
Ye  winds  on  pinions  light  ! 

Ye  thunders,  echoing  loud  and  deep  ! 

Ye  lightnings,  wildly  bright  ! 

In  fweet  confent  unite  your  Alleluia. 


15°  Ti\    Alleluiatic  Sequence. 

vii.  Fluctus  et  undae,  imber  et  procellae,  tem- 
peftas  et  ferenitas,  cauma,  gelu, 
nix,  prunae,  faltus,  nemora  pan- 
gant  Alleluia. 

viii.    Hinc   variae   volucres   creatorem    laudibus 
concinite  cum  Alleluia. 

ix.    Aft  illic  refpondeant  voces  altae  diverfarum 
beftiarum  Alleluia. 

x.   Iftinc  montium  celfi  vertices  fonent 

Alleluia. 

xi.    Hinc  vallium  profunditates  faltent 

Alleluia. 

xii.   Tu  quoque  maris  jubilans  abyfle  die 

Alleluia. 

xiii.    Nee  non  terrarum  molis  immenfitates : 

Alleluia. 

xiv.  Nunc  omne  genus  humanum  laudans  ex- 
ultet :  Alleluia. 

xv.    Et  creatori  grates  frequentans  confonet  : 

Alleluia. 

xvi.    Hoc   denique   nomen    audire    jugiter  de- 

Ic.tatur  •  Alleluia. 


T^he  Alleluiatic  Sequence,  \  c\ 

7.  Ye  floods  and  ocean  billows  ! 
Ye  ftorms  and  winter  fnow  ! 
Ye  days  of  cloudlefs  beauty  ! 
Hoar  froft  and  fummer  glow  ! 
Ye  groves  that  wave  in  fpring, 

And  glorious  forefts,  fing  Alleluia. 

8.  Firft  let  the  birds,  with  painted  plumage  gay, 
Exalt  their  great  Creator's  praife,  and  fay 

Alleluia. 

9.  Then  let  the  beafts  of  earth,  with   varying 

ftrain, 
Join  in  Creation's  Hymn,  and  cry  again 

Alleluia. 

10.  Here  let  the  mountains  thunder  forth,  fono- 

rous,  Alleluia. 

11.  There,  let  the  valleys  fing.  in  gentler  chorus, 

Alleluia. 

12.  Thou  jubilant  abyfs  of  ocean,  cry      Alleluia. 

13.  Ye  tracts  of  earth  and  continents,  reply 

Alleluia. 

14.  To  God,  who  all  Creation  made, 

15.  The  frequent  hymn  be  duly  paid:     Alleluia. 

16.  This   is   the    ftrain,  the    eternal    ftrain,   the 

Lord  of  all  things  loves  :      Alleluia 


l^2  *The  Alleluiatic  Sequence. 

xvn.    Hoc    etiam    carmen    coelefte    comprobat 
ipfe  Chriftus  :  Alleluia, 

xviii.    Nunc  vos  focii  cantate  laetantes  : 

Alleluia, 
xix.    Et  vos  pueruli  refpondete  Temper 

Alleluia. 
xx.   Nunc  omnes  canite  fimul  Alleluia  dom- 
ino, Alleluia   Chrifto  pneumatique 
Alleluia. 

xxi.    Laus  Trinitati  asternae  in  babtiimo  domini 

quae  clarificatur  :    Hinc  canamus  : 

Alleluia. 


'Tbe  Alleluiatic  Sequence.  153 

17.  This   is    the    fong,   the    heav'nly  fong,   that 

Christ  Himfelf  approves  :    Alleluia. 

18.  Wherefore   we  fing,  both   heart   and    voice 

awaking,  Alleluia. 

19.  And  children's  voices  echo,  anfwer  making, 

Alleluia. 

20.  Now  from  all  men  be  out-pour'd 
Alleluia  to  the  Lord  ; 

With  Alleluia  evermore 

The  Son  and  Spirit  we  adore. 

21.  Praife  be  done  to  the  Three  in  One. 

Alleluia!   Alleluia!   Alleluia!   Alleluia! 


_J4  Appendix . 

APPENDIX 


The  concluding  lines  of  the  extract  given  at 
page  4,  are  in  the  original : 

"Si  tua  nuncia  praevenit  uncia,  furge,  fequaris  5 
Expete  limina,  nulla  gravamina  jam  verearis. 
Si  datur  uncia,  ftat  prope  gratia  Pontificalis  , 
Sin  procul  haec  valet,  hrec  tibi  lex  manet  ell  fchola  talis." 

The  ninth  and  tenth  ftanzas  of  the  Stabat 
Matkr  are  more  literally  rendered  in  the  fol- 
lowing than  in  the  verfion  of  Lord  Lindiav. 
They  alio  fhow  the  inability  of  the  Englifh 
double  rhyme  to  exprefs  the  pathos  which  in- 
verts the  Latin. 

"  Let  me  with  His  (tripes  be  tended ; 
Let  me  by  His  blood  be  cleanfed — 

Looking  to  the  Crucified. 
Then,  O  Virgin,  by  t luc  lighted, 
Wakened,  warmed,  aroufed,  excited, 

For  the  judgment  fan&ified. 

"Let  me  by  the  Crol 
By  the  death  of  Christ  piotccHcd, 

See  below  His  glory  tar. 
Then,  thia  hody  mouldering,  riven — 
Then  be  to  my  fpirit  given 
Paradifi  Gloria  /" 


11 


